Lilycove's New Breeding Service
by Sugarstep
Summary: Suddenly finding himself working for an up-and-coming Pokémon breeder, Alex Campbell soon discovers that they do a lot more than just sell eggs to new trainers. His knowledge of Pokémon biology and psychology makes him a useful asset to the business, but is he really cut out to do the unspeakable things they do? He does know one thing for sure, that everyone there loves Pokémon.
1. The Lucky Break

When I got out of high school, I expected a job to just naturally fall into my lap. I wouldn't call myself entitled or cocky, just massively misinformed. My entire school career was spent being showered with praise by teachers. They told me that I would have no problems getting a job, and to my impressionable mind this meant I should just sit back until my school days came to an end. How was I supposed to know that it would be much more difficult at fourteen years old? Hell, I was still in that mindset right up until my eighteenth.

The freedom was incredible for the first few months, and I could spend entire weeks at a time binging anime and TV shows while slowly turning nocturnal. However, the novelty soon wore off and I found myself wanting something that I'd never thought about before. Normalcy. I felt like a drifter, aimlessly wandering while simultaneously staying in the same place. All my old friends had learned how to drive, gotten not-so-glamorous jobs and formed new relationships while I was stuck at home.

Sure, you could call me lazy. I'm not going so far as to say I'd blame the school system, but I had always inherently had trouble interacting with others. That was the one thing I was told to work on by the career advisors, social skills. It was just much easier to limit my horizons and stay within the local area instead of diving into situations I wasn't comfortable with. One thing they had noted however, was my interest in Pokémon.

Here in Hoenn, there's a great focus on competitive battling. If you were to ask any kid who had grown up in Hoenn what they wanted to be when they were older, whether they lived in Verdanturf or Rustboro, the answer would be a professional Trainer. Not someone who just owned a couple Pokémon and battled for fun with their friends, but a full-blown traveller who took on the Gym Circuit. I'm honestly not sure why there's such an idolisation of battling here, but those high up in the ranks all have a massive competitive spirit.

I was slightly different though, in that I was more interested in the individual Pokémon themselves than how well they could pull off a Fire Blast or how quickly they could knock out an opponent. From my point of view, people tend to forget that they're living, breathing creatures with ambitions and personalities. All immensely different with their own fascinating quirks and habits, I did all that I could to devote myself to learning about them. Pokémon Biology and Psychology were the two reasons I stuck in with school for so long, letting boring stuff like mathematics and literature fall to the wayside.

So why the hell was it so hard to get a job? For someone who wanted to work _alongside_ Pokémon instead of using them for their own gain, the options were limited. You could work in a Center, but then you'd have to go medical school for years and know how to treat a Charizard's exhausted flame sac without damaging its throat. You could work for Devon, developing innovative technologies, but then you'd have to devote your life to engineering.

Here I was, wanting some miracle job that involved getting to spend time with Pokémon and not too much interaction with people. The famous daycare in Mauville was nearly on the other side of the region, and my opportunities in Lilycove were limited. I wasn't prepared to don a flashy tuxedo and perform alongside a Gardevoir in a sequined dress. Contests couldn't be further outside of my comfort zone.

These thoughts swirled around my head feverishly while I let the warm water cascade over me. I somewhat hoped the troubling doubts about my future would be washed away and sent down the drain. Showers had always been some sort of strange respite from all the lounging around I did, where I would feel invigorated and ready to finally face the world. It was probably because I was at least getting something done, even if that was just simply getting clean. Everyone had to shower. Even Steven Stone had to shower. Usually, the minute I stepped out into the cold bathroom, the feeling would fade entirely.

At some point in the last week, I had realised that enough was enough and put up a small flyer in the local Mart and Center. It was practically a plea for any Pokémon Breeders or Trainers who needed help with their Pokémon to give me a call. I listed what little achievements and qualifications I had earned, hoping that my good grades in the Pokémon-related subjects would be enough. Apparently, that was as far as my drive went, and now I was just waiting for my phone to buzz.

As if on cue, I could just barely hear the embarrassing, upbeat ringtone over the rushing water. It was safe to have such a ringtone just because I was usually the only one who would even hear it. It was a good enough excuse to leave the heavenly warmth into the biting cold. Wrapping a huge towel around my waist with little concern to what it covered and brushing the sopping brown hair out of my face, I checked the cracked screen hopefully.

Was an unknown cell number truly flashing on my screen? The Beautiflies in my stomach began to flutter uncontrollably, which wasn't uncommon when I had to speak to a stranger on the phone, but there was just the tinge of excitement that caused me to answer without hesitation. Looking myself in the eye through the foggy mirror, I anticipated what kind of voice I would hear on the other end.

"Hey… is this Alex?" A calm, male voice responded. There was something about the way he spoke that was hard to place, but there was a confidence that meant he was comfortable speaking with clients through a phone. "I saw your flyer in the Mart, and I was wondering if I could ask you a little more about it."

"Uh… yeah it is." I said, my voice wavering nervously, as I chose to lean unceremoniously on the edge of the sink. "What do you want to know?"

"Y'see, my name's Thomas Brooks. I'm a breeder not too far out of Lilycove, and I was looking for fresh staff." He mused, oblivious to the rising shock coming from within me. "It says here that you got top marks in both PokBio and PokPsych?"

"Yeah, um, top in the region, that is…" I stumbled, surprised at my own accomplishments when they were said from someone else's lips. "The courses aren't taken that much, so it's not as good as it sounds."

"Don't gimme any of that, kid." He scoffed. "You should be proud of what you got. It made me interested in what you can do."

Was this really happening? This man saw the small, boring flyer that I had made with barely any ink left in the printer, and called. From the way he spoke, it sounded like he ran an actual business. That was rare in the breeding community, as most trainers or families would either catch a local Pokémon or take unwanted eggs from the region's daycare. Most popular breeders were extortionate in their prices, and only those serious about battling could afford to get a viable Pokémon bred.

"What I can do?" I asked. This is where the phone call would inevitably end, with me having to admit that I had no experience in a working environment.

"Let's see here…" He began, a certain drawl to his voice that made my heart slide up and sit like a stone in my throat. "Can you tell me the… breeding behaviour of male Swellow?"

"Well, I'm not too confident in my knowledge of Flying types, but I know that Swellow are especially prideful of their plumage…" I wracked my brain, barely missing a beat. "They'll often compete with other males through performances and tests of skill, and the female will breed with the one with the most vivid chest and longest tail feathers."

There was a question that was similar to the one he had asked in the final exam paper for Pokémon Psychology, but it featured Unfezant rather than Swellow. The behaviour of most male avian Pokémon was the same, where extravagant shows of their form and plumage took the place of fights for dominance. It helped that Swellow were native to Hoenn, but I wasn't expecting such a question.

"Damn…" I heard a shrill sound that must have been a whistle pierce its way through the phone's speaker. "That's spot on and there's no way you would have had the time to Google it."

"As you can probably tell, I spent more time with the books than I did other people." I let out a nervous laugh, shoulders relaxing a little now that I had answered his question correctly.

"Clearly." He noted, clearing his throat. "Now, I'm not going to hire you based on that small piece of knowledge, but I'm willing to meet up with you so we can hash something out. When's a good time for you?"

I didn't want to admit that my plans for today involved re-reading some old manga and eating cereal straight from the pack in my boxers. Now that I thought about it, there was no way you could even try to put a positive spin on that. Maybe it could've been healthy cereal? Just thinking of the sugar-filled multicoloured ensemble of 'food' that was waiting in the kitchen put a stop to that question.

"I'm free today, so whenever you want to discuss things is fine." I said, settling on that vague explanation. Sometimes, it was better than telling the truth.

The rest of the phone call consisted of mostly location details, which was hard to pay attention to with what felt like Mount Chimney itself erupting inside of me. Maybe everyone should just sit around waiting for random breeders to give them a call. There was one thing I knew for sure, I was definitely going to buy a lottery ticket on my way to his ranch.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you in person, Alex. I expect great things!" He proclaimed, and I could practically see the grin on his face. "Oh yeah, you'll probably be meeting the other staff too, so look presentable."

With that, the phone went dead silent, leaving me with nothing but the realisation that I could have a job by the end of the day. Goodbye were the days of avoiding social media because everyone seemed to be doing more interesting things than me. Hello to having to wake up at reasonable times. Ah, the ebbs and flows of life.

.-.-.-.-.-.

After trying to make myself look as professional as possible, which was really just wearing jeans instead of sweatpants, I set off for the ranch. Thankfully, it was only about a thirty-minute walk from the outskirts of Lilycove. If it was any further, then my lack of a car and driver's licence would be a glaring problem. For now, it just stayed as a mild inconvenience. There was no way I was going to beg my big brother to drive me into the ranch every day.

The sun was high in the sky when I arrived at what must have been the ranch. It was hidden away in an area of Route 121 that I had never seen before, despite spending most of my childhood exploring all its nooks and crannies. The heavy scent of sea salt was still present here, even though the ocean was nowhere in sight. It was something that I had grown accustomed too, almost never leaving Lilycove where the smell was less prevalent. It was nostalgic and helped to calm my nerves. Even though I was excited about meeting Thomas, I couldn't help but fall back into the old habits of wanting to turn right back around and go home.

No, Alex. Stop being a fucking idiot. Walk through that damn door and get this job. Thankfully, my legs complied after getting berated by my mind. The building itself was tiny, looking like little more than a couple rooms. Taking a deep breath and finally pushing open the door, I was greeted with a sparse welcome room that reminded me of what you'd see in an office building. A computer that was several generations old sat on the desk, and that was about the only piece of technology in here. A huddle of chairs and a low desk sat in middle of the room, clearly a place where clients would sit. A potted plant that looked like it was barely clinging to life at least throwed some green into the mix.

More interestingly was the young man wearing a grey business suit. He looked like he should be working in a consulting firm rather than a breeder's. He was lounging coolly on the swivel chair, his dress shoes propped up on the desk next to the computer. His black hair was slicked back, and he had a Bluetooth headset on his ear. He noticed me just standing in the entrance like a frightened child and his face immediately lit up.

"Afternoon, Alex." He smirked, and I immediately recognised the voice. I had expected Thomas to be wearing dungarees and boots, covered in dirt and hefting a shovel over his shoulders. He looked remarkably young for owning a business and couldn't have been that much older than me.

"Uh… hi Thomas." I said, as shy as a schoolgirl confessing her affection for a boy she liked. I avoided eye contact and instead focused on the drab, dark blue carpet. Man up, Alex.

"No need to stand in the doorway like a skittish Skitty, come on, we'll walk and talk."

With that, I followed him outside and into the vast fields. I couldn't help but let my jaw slacken as the rolling hills were littered with various Pokémon. More than I had ever seen in one place before. Volbeat. Growlithe. Lillipup. Plusle. Meowstic. Just scanning my immediate surroundings yielded species I had never even seen in the flesh.

In particular, I noticed a Mudsdale slowly meander around the field close to us. His hooves almost shook the very ground we were standing on, and he wore a stoic expression that they were so famous for. Alolan species were one of my favourites, mostly because the region had gone under the radar until a few years ago. It was my first opportunity to see one that wasn't static in a textbook, and I couldn't help but stop and watch the equine Pokémon graze.

"Now that's the expression I wanted to see." Thomas turned back and smiled. I had completely forgot about tailing behind him, too wrapped up in watching all the commotion. "Your fascination with Pokémon goes beyond knowledge, doesn't it? You look at them the same way we do."

"My parents never let me get a trainer's license, so I've never really had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Pokémon."

"Really?" He questioned incredulously. "I thought you would have had at least a Zigzagoon or something at home."

"Family just didn't really see the point." I muttered, trying not to think about all the lonely years I had spent longing to have a companion Pokémon.

Catching up with Thomas after falling behind, I realised that we were walking towards another building. This time, it looked like a cross between a barn and a massive shed. Made entirely from wood, it was painted a dull greyish colour. On the front however, was the classic representation of a Pokémon egg. A spotted green oval had been painted right above the large doorframe.

"As you can probably tell, this is where we store and incubate the eggs after they've been laid by the females. Wanna take a look inside? I'm sure Hannah's on break with the others but I have a set of keys."

Without really waiting for me to give a reply, he stuck a silver key into the rustic lock and twisted forcefully. The door creaked open slowly, revealing a row of strange, capsule-like machines placed against the far wall. They looked futuristic, almost alien and must have cost a fortune to have this many of them. They all contained a myriad of large eggs, some striped or speckled while others had more intricate designs. I didn't want to get any closer with the risk of disturbing something, but even watching from afar filled me with amazement. Just a couple feet away from me were developing baby Pokémon. Eggs so delicate yet capable of producing such intricate life.

"Take a guess at what species that one is." He smirked while pointing the capsule on the far right. "Not saying that this is part of your interview or anything, but if you can get this one I'll be impressed."

Prepared to take on another one of his quizzes, I studied the huge egg intensely. It was hard to see through the foggy glass, but the egg was a very faint, light blue colour. I knew that eggs would usually leave clues as to its contents, but this one was very bare. I squinted my eyes as I noticed something amidst the blue. What looked like white splotches covered the sides of the egg, barely noticeable among the baby blue. What Pokémon vaguely bared a resemblance? The splotches looked like white smoke, puffy and large. It couldn't be Torkoal, then the blue wouldn't make sense. I gasped as an epiphany struck me. That wasn't a depiction of smoke. They were clouds.

"It's a Swablu egg, right?" I asked, confident in my answer. "Blue with clouds on the sides. Did you pick that one because I said I wasn't good with Flying types earlier?"

He let a hearty laugh while patting on me the shoulder. "You're something else, kid. If I asked any other teen your age I doubt they'd be able to give me an answer. They're more concerned with what comes out of the egg than the egg itself."

Leaving the incubation shed, we walked a little further while making more small talk. The way Thomas carried himself, wildly making gestures and confidently putting his hands over me was completely different from the way I acted. His personality was completely opposite to mine, almost overconfident while I was unsure. I was certain that he wore the suit just to complete the demeanour of a salesman. It explained how he could converse with clients and run a breeding business at such a young age. He was just born with the ability.

We had passed countless different Pokémon at this point, and I was amazed at the variety of different species he was able to keep and breed. He explained to me that some clients would request a very specific Pokémon that they couldn't obtain by themselves, and then he would have to travel to different regions and catch whatever they wanted. Once he was back, he would add that Pokémon to the ranch and breed it with a suitable mate to produce the egg. They would almost never give the egg to the client before it hatched, but would wait until everything was okay with the offspring. Of course, they got a truckload of money whenever they had to fulfil a specific request.

We had also travelled through different biomes, that he said were made artificially when it was possible, so that the more exotic Pokémon would feel more comfortable. A small forest that was filled with towering trees and different plant life were the home to species that were nocturnal or preferred to be in the shade. I could see a large lake in the distance, obviously housing Water types and other Pokémon that didn't do so well on land. There was even a massive sand pit that was heated by generators, for any Pokémon that were found in the desert. I was astonished at the variety of terrain and the lengths that Thomas would go through to create a natural habitat just so that they could feel at home. He really cared about what the Pokémon themselves wanted, not just the profits they made him in the end.

"How much did it cost to build and maintain all of this?" I asked. There was no way that someone could build a ranch on this scale without having a ton of money beforehand. Most owners of day-cares and ranchers were old couples, reaching retirement, because they had saved up a massive fund by working for decades. Thomas had to be no more than in his mid-twenties.

"I'm not gonna tell you the figures outright, but let's just say I come from a well-off background and that my family covered it until I actually started making money." He said professionally, wiping some dirt off the front of his suit with a handkerchief. "I kind of lucked out with all of this, but that doesn't mean I didn't have to work for it."

He wore a preppy suit and smelled of expensive cologne, but I had noticed the way that he held his back and strained whenever he had to bend down. His hands were rough and callused despite looking like he'd never touched a shovel. Clearly, he had spent years digging trenches and re-planting trees. Even though I barely knew him and we had only talked for a couple of hours, I was starting to respect him. We came from different backgrounds, but our love for Pokémon made me feel like we had a connection.

We came to what looked like our last stop on the tour of the ranch. It was the largest building that we had come across. A lodge sat in front with us, still keeping with the wooden aesthetic of the other buildings, but was far more imposing than the others. It looked like it could be a hotel or a place where kids would stay during a summer camp. Even with its old-fashioned exterior, I could see plenty of modern furniture and art through the large windows. I wasn't sure what its purpose was, as I thought that the welcome building would serve as a break room for the workers. Sensing my confusion, Thomas let out a low chuckle.

"The people that work on this ranch spend all day out in the sun, working with the Pokémon and making sure that things don't fall apart." He began, raising his arms to highlight the massive lodge. "I feel bad that I'm out with them as much as I used to be, so this is where they come to unwind and take their breaks."

How many people did he even employ? The lodge certainly looked like it could house tens of workers, but I hadn't even seen a single other person working out in the ranch. He said that someone was on their break earlier, but that had been almost an hour ago and there was still no human activity.

"So, Alex, this is your last test. It's all well and good that I've taken a liking to you, but you're going to have to win over my employees. If they give me the go-ahead, you're welcome to start working here properly."

I started to panic. I could deal with having one-on-one conversations with someone, but having to meet groups of new people all at once left me feeling slightly overwhelmed. If they were anything like Thomas, then there wouldn't be much of a problem but it was still nerve-racking. He gave me a final pat on the shoulder for re-assurance and began to walk away.

"I've got some business to attend to, but I trust the rest of the gang to show you the ropes of what we do around here. They don't bite." He gave me a final back-handed wave, and I could do nothing but watch the back of his suit until he was far away.

In a strange spark of bravery, I strode up to the front door. There was no point in knocking, Thomas probably told them I'd be coming to meet them. This was it. All I had to do was make a good first impression on whatever group of people were in here. The tight hallway I was faced with lead straight forwards to another closed door. Just in front of me, there were three sets of shoes. One set was a large pair of muddied hiking boots, another was a smaller set of comfortable sandals and the last pair were flashy pink trainers. Were there only three people in the lodge?

I could hear a faint noise behind the door, like someone being repeatedly slapped over and over again. I wondered if two of the staff members had gotten into a fight. That would not be a good way to introduce myself if I had to break two people apart. My steps began to falter as the familiar feeling of wanting to get the hell out of there washed over me. I was tired of rea-assuring myself that there was nothing to freak out about. Ignoring the sense of dread, I simply walked forwards and turned the doorknob, intent on interrupting whatever fight was going on.

Instead, I saw a Gallade sitting on a couch with a woman grinding on his lap. The Pokémon's eyes were tightly closed as a groan escaped his lips. The girl was completely naked, her perky breasts bouncing as she rose up and down on the Gallade's member. I didn't need to look any further to see what they were doing. The smell of sweat, the loud moans and the slapping sounds were enough.

"S-Sorry! I didn't mean-" I blurted out, too stunned to move or say anything else. My gaze was fixated on the woman squealing in pleasure. She was having sex with a Pokémon. There was no other way around it.

So much for a good first impression.


	2. Brandon, Katie and Hannah

"For Arceus' sake Katie! Can't you go two minutes without fucking that Gallade!?"

I was currently sat on the couch that just a few minutes ago was being used for debauchery. I didn't care if I was sitting on damp patch of fluids because my legs decided that they didn't want to carry me anymore. I couldn't believe the events that were unfolding before me. The girl who I had just seen naked earlier, presumably Katie, was still panting and flushed a bright pink. She had quickly thrown on a sweater and tight shorts and was getting berated by a male worker. The Gallade who had since lost his vigour was standing solemnly behind her, expressionless.

"You've only just gone and traumatised the newbie." He said, and I imagined that he was gesturing to me. I had my head solidly in my hands, contemplating what I had just walked in on. There was no way I was looking that woman in the eyes.

"I didn't know Thomas would be done with him so quick!" She retaliated in a shriek. "He said it was fine if we wanted to unwind!"

That was what he meant by unwind? Thomas honestly not only knew what these people were doing behind closed doors, but was actively encouraging it? I felt sick to my stomach. I had never imagined that people who worked for a breeder would even attempt doing something like that. Sure, there were news stories about poképhilia, but it was always people who had been arrested for abuse or rape. These people were criminals. I could feel my hands shaking even though they had a tight grip on my head.

"Hey, it's Alex, isn't it?" The man asked. I raised my head and looked him over. He had curly brown hair, and wore thick glasses. There was a kindness to smile despite the shouting he was doing earlier. He looked like what I originally anticipated Thomas's appearance to be, wearing the classic green dungarees over a dark blue shirt. His muscles were basically bursting out from their cotton prison. "The name's Brandon, sorry you had to see that."

"… I don't have anything to say." I spat, my vitriol taking control of my usual shy self. I thought this would finally be a place where I could fit in, but no. These people abused the Pokémon they were using to run a business with. "What you're doing isn't right."

"Hey now, it's alright. We're all consenting here. That Gallade has been with Katie since he was a little Ralts."

"So that gives you the right to use them for your own pleasure?" I questioned, feeling the rage bubble up from my stomach.

' _She's not using me. You should know better than anyone that we Pokémon can make our own choices.'_ I heard a strange ethereal voice invade my mind, strong and composed. The Gallade had now turned to me with glowing blue eyes and it struck me that I had never experienced a Psychic type Pokémon's telepathic speech before. The voice was oddly soothing and it reverberated like we were standing in an echo chamber, making me calm down somewhat.

"That doesn't change the fact that it's illegal…" I muttered, watching the Gallade's stance. He wasn't relaxed, but poised and tightened in case things escalated any further. His viridian elbow blades were sharp and imposing, almost making me shudder with the thought of him attacking me.

"… It's not illegal actually." The woman piped up. Her breathing was less erratic, and I offered her a glance. She was small and curvy, not exactly hourglass-shaped but her hips were definitely well defined. The shorts she was wearing didn't really do her any favours in hiding her figure. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied in a lazy ponytail and she had a guilty look on her face. Her soft blue eyes did make me feel kind of bad for reacting so badly. "It's perfectly legal for a consenting Pokémon and adult to have sex, in fact in some circles it's promoted to build a healthy bond. It only steps over the line if the trainer forces the Pokémon to do anything they're not comfortable with."

I felt like my weak argument was entirely shut down. These people clearly knew what they were doing. If the Pokémon truly did want to do that with their trainer, then I guess there wasn't much of a problem. I had been preaching to others that Pokémon should be treated as individuals with thoughts and feelings rather than just tools. I had always seen people who had sexual relationships with their Pokémon as abusers, just using their place of power to get off.

' _Trust me, Alex. We all think alike here. Forgive me for intruding, but I've looked a little into your personality. You are not so different from us.'_ The Gallade said, choosing to take his place behind his trainer. He stood so close to her, and to my surprise he offered a stiff hand for her to grasp onto. She instantly took up the offer, squeezing the psychic type in reassurance. It really was like they were a couple.

"Sorry if I'm putting it into layman's terms here, but if both parties feel good and nobody is getting hurt… is there a problem with it?" Brandon asked slowly, in such an apologetic tone that I couldn't really deny what he was saying. These people didn't seem bad at all. Brandon especially, despite his intimidating stature, had a sweet smile and warm brown eyes. Even with everything going on, he tried to be nice and considerate to me.

"I guess not…" I started, deciding to sit up straight now that I didn't feel like imploding into myself. "I'm just a bit shaken up. I'm nervous around new people at the best of times, so when I walked in on… that, I didn't know what to think."

"I will admit that it's a bit of a shock when you first see it, but we've all been there." Brandon smiled, choosing to take a seat next to me. He dwarfed me in size, and despite his nerdy appearance I was sure to stay on his good side. "I'm here to answer any more questions you may have."

"Do you do it with the ranch Pokémon as well?"

"Julian here," he waved to the stoic Gallade, "handles any requests by the ranch Pokémon if they want to relieve some stress. We go through quite a rigorous process to make sure that's really what they want, and some Pokémon just prefer to be with humans. Sometimes, there's no suitable partners for them in the ranch and you probably know how they can get with heat cycles and stuff."

"Does Thomas do it?"

He let out a small chuckle. "Not so much anymore, only with his main Pokémon, he just works too much to goof off like we do."

Before I could ask any more burning questions, a door to one of the side rooms opened and another woman stepped out. A Grovyle followed out behind her, and I felt like I was experiencing a bout of déjà vu. Not only were they panting heavily, but the girl was only wearing a bra and panties. Floral and purple, no less. She took one look at us, and casually nodded.

"Hey guys, I heard the new guy was here, so I just… waited in here, hope that's cool." She said in between laboured breaths. She had a pixie cut that was dyed a baby pink and I couldn't help but notice the assortment of tattoos all over her body. Hearts, stars and tons of other shapes were dotted around her form like she had just rolled around in a stamp factory. Most of all, there was a lollipop hanging lazily from the corner of her mouth. "Name's Hannah, pleasure."

The other two acted like this happened all the time, and I could do nothing but stare as she sauntered over to the kitchen, hips shaking all the way. The Grovyle chose to hang behind her, enjoying the view as much as I was. Hey, just because I was shy didn't mean I couldn't appreciate a good body when I saw one. With the shock gone, I kind of wished I'd took a mental note of Katie too.

' _There we go. Just up the ante and you'll fit right in.'_ I had completely forgot that Julian was still inside my head, and I couldn't place whether his snarky tone meant that he was angry or impressed with me. I had always imagined that psychic Pokémon would be slightly more dignified but it was just more evidence that each individual was different.

"We're not going to pressure you into doing anything, but we'd be happy to have you work with us either way. You're just going to have to get used to things being a little crazy around here." Katie said, giving me a considerate smile.

"I think I need a little while to think about it. Thanks." I replied, the tension in the air mostly gone. The scent of sex was still lingering and it made me wonder how much Febreze they went through trying to keep this place smelling alright.

' _A can a week.'_ My question was immediately answered by the voice in my head. 'Are you in everyone's mind all the time?' ' _No, yours is just interesting to me.'_

The rest of our conversation consisted of what everyone's roles at the ranch were. I had previously known that Hannah handled keeping track of the eggs and making sure things went smoothly with their incubation due to Thomas' off-hand comment. She seemed too laid-back to be in charge of something so important, but maybe she was different while working. Brandon had said that 'he was the left-side of the brain and Katie was the right-side' when it came to work at the ranch. He handled most of the funds and logistics, checking up on all the areas to make sure there no faults whereas Katie would tend to the Pokémon themselves and make sure they were happy and energised. She told me that it mostly involved playing with them, which made me kind of jealous.

I was surprised that there weren't any more workers. The ranch was huge, and only having a boss and three employees shouldn't have been enough to keep the place running. To me, it seemed like Julian served like another employee and it wouldn't have shocked me if he had his own responsibilities. It was astounding that a Pokémon was given such a place of prestige, but it was common knowledge that Psychic types were extremely intelligent and capable of higher functions.

Before things got any more awkward between us, Thomas came back to collect me. I couldn't help but look at him in a different light now, knowing what he would be doing in his bed tonight. My perception of most people would probably be warped from now on, the question of 'are you a poképhile?' forever in the back of my mind. He seemed to pick up on this new suspicion and let out his signature laugh, like nothing had changed.

"I take it my plan worked then?" He snickered, unable to look me in the eyes. "To be honest with you kid, I just didn't want the responsibility of revealing all that to you. Did Brandon do a good job?"

That coy motherfucker. He had premeditated this whole thing. He probably told the other workers that I wouldn't be coming to meet them until later on, just to increase the chances that one of them would be getting it on in the open. That was quite the risk. What if I had gone crazy and stormed out of the ranch, telling the city that there was a ranch where they all fucked Pokémon?

"I at least understand where you guys are coming from." I admitted, scuffing the dirt pathway with my shoes as we walked back to the entrance. "If you value Pokémon in the same way that I do, then it's not really my business who you have sex with."

"Good!" He exclaimed, slapping me on the back with a little more force than I would have liked. "You're hired!"

…What? That was the final test? He just wanted to see how well I'd take the fact that this ranch is rife with poképhilia. Somehow, I wasn't convinced that Thomas just didn't need to hire any more people, but he had tried many times and most people wanted nothing to do with him ever again.

"You haven't even told me what my job will involve yet, let alone see how well I can actually do it!" I cried, staring at Thomas in disbelief. This wasn't the way job interviews were supposed to be. I had never even been to one, but even I knew that they didn't involve watching one of your future co-workers get her rocks off with a Pokémon and then you're just magically hired.

"Well, your top mark in Pokémon Psychology is what I'm most interested in. I was shocked to hear that you've never really been in contact with Pokémon but somehow you have a knack for knowing what makes them tick. We need someone like that around here. The closest we have is Katie, and she only keeps them placated and feeds them." He explained, stopping to face me seriously. This was the first time I had seen a professional look on his face, one that wasn't tinged with a trickster smile. "If this business is going to go anywhere, then we need to not only cater to our clients, but cater to our Pokémon."

"How are we going to accomplish that though? It's not exactly like we can tell what most of them are thinking without a Psychic type there to inform us."

"I can explain all that to you tomorrow. I can tell that it's been a long day for you, Alex." He noted. I wasn't going to disagree with him. I was completely exhausted, traversing the ranch was the most exercise I had done in years. Not to mention the mental fatigue I've endured with the whole sex thing. "Just know that I haven't hired you based off some weird business hunch. It's rare to find someone who thinks like we do."

I had just remembered Julian had said – or telepathically projected – to me. It was along the same lines. We're not so different. What did that even mean? I knew that we all viewed Pokémon as individuals and that they are more special than just mere livestock or a means to an end, but there was something more to it. Surely it couldn't be that uncommon to find people of the same mindset.

By this point, we had reached the entrance to the ranch again. The reality that I really had a job here hadn't exactly hit me yet, but when Thomas placed a set of keys in my hand it really struck me. He was trusting me enough already to give me keys to the buildings. I didn't know whether to be humbled or concerned. It was almost too lucky; the way things were going. Did I get a wish granted by Jirachi or something without knowing it?

"Get some rest tonight, Alex." He recommended while taking his position behind the worn swivel chair. "If you thought today was a whirl, then wait for what's in store for tomorrow."

"Thanks." I said sincerely, almost tearing up. The thing I had wanted for so long was actually happening. "For everything."

"Don't mention it, kid." He grinned.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Later that night, I had sufficiently unwound from the blur that was today. I spent a while celebrating with my brother over my new job, and even partook in a little drinking. He worked long hours in the department store at Lilycove's mall, so he would often drown his sorrows until he had to be sober for work. He didn't seem all that interested in what I had to say about the people I had met or what the ranch was like, but he told me that he was happy that I had finally found something that resonated with me. Wise words from a man who was completely smashed at that point.

I even had a phone call with my mother. She worked overseas, and was rarely back at home save for holidays and birthdays. It was rare to hear such joy in her voice, and it made me feel like I had actually accomplished something. Of course, I left out the unsavoury details in the conversations with her and the bro but they got the main picture of what I was going to be doing.

I was now just silent in my room, pondering the events of earlier on. My place of rest was adorned with various posters, figures and games. It surely would have set off a claustrophobic if they were ever in here. It wasn't messy, but rather just cluttered. Books and manga littered the shelves and surfaces, but there was nowhere as eclectic as my desk. Trinkets and knickknacks made sure that every bit of free space was taken up.

I was left with nothing else to do but browse the internet. I knew that Thomas said I should get plenty of rest, but I hadn't even begun to satisfy my itch for mindlessly searching through websites that didn't matter. While watching a video of a Purrloin balancing a donut on its head, a strange thought shot through my head.

Without thinking about it all too much, I opened up a new tab and watched in horror as I typed in 'poképhilia'. I had convinced myself that I was just going to do some research on the laws and maybe look through some forum posts about the subject. But somehow, my jeans had gotten a little bit tighter in anticipation.

Alex, come on. You made such an effort to be offended about what they were doing, but now you were honestly considering it? In my inebriated state, I didn't really care about how wrong it felt. I didn't want to admit it, but deep down there was something inside me. When I had watched Katie and Julian for that split second, there was another feeling that wasn't just shock. It was some sick thrill, or adrenaline, or whatever it may have been.

There's no harm in just watching a couple things to see if it's for me. Experimenting was all right. I felt like a teenager again, doing something he shouldn't be once his parents were asleep. I had gone through that phase like everyone had, but it was just watching girls and guys rather than what I was considering right now.

Fuck it. I threw caution to the wind along with my jeans. I frantically clicked around until I found the first video link. I didn't really care whether it was a man or a woman. I had known since puberty that I didn't really prefer either one, and I was pretty comfortable with my sexuality. They were both hot, not much more complicated than that.

There was a first few seconds of black, the suspense affecting me way more than just watching a porn video should. But suddenly, the scene came to life with a busty woman lying spread out on a bed. No foreplay or badly done explanation about a pizza delivery man, she was just buck naked. Not that I was complaining. Her fingers were already plunging into her slick pussy, and so my boxers were thrown away with reckless abandon.

It wasn't long before a Growlithe pawed its way next to the woman, making my heartbeat quicken. It looked exactly like the one I had seen a few hours earlier at the ranch. My eyes were instantly drawn in-between his back legs, where his stiff, red dick was already standing to attention. His tongue hung lazily from his mouth as he panted at the woman. Her sleek, black hair was tied into a tight ponytail and I could already foresee where this was going.

As if responding to my thoughts, the Growlithe obediently rolled over and presented his throbbing cock to the eager woman. In a split second, it disappeared inside her wanting mouth as she worked her way down the canine's shaft. By this point, I was already pumping my dick up and down in time with her head bobbing. The feeling of my hand wrapped tightly around my own shaft sent shocks of pleasure up my spine.

Instead of focusing on what she should be doing to my manhood like how I watched most porn videos, I was drawn to the whole spectacle of her fellating a Growlithe. The fact it was a Pokémon just seemed to turn me on even more, like I had been missing out on something vital for my whole life. My pleasure far-outweighed the guilt at this point. All I cared about was climaxing, gaze fixated on the taboo material in front of me.

Just as soon as she had worked up a fast pace, slobbering over the Growlithe's red rocket, she brought her lips away with a loud pop and licked her lips. I could barely hear her call the Growlithe a 'good boy' over my almost-mute speakers. For some reason, that sent a surging throb up my cock and I bucked my hips forwards.

She turned around on the bed, exposing her rear to the camera. Her tight asshole puckered in anticipation as a single, sticky strand of fluid dripped down slowly from her honeypot. It was the Growlithe's turn to pay her some lip service, as he lapped at her pussy feverishly. His rough tongue pressed against her clit, causing her to bend backwards into his maw.

"I want you inside me, boy!" She moaned as she pushed the canine's muzzle further into her vagina. The mutt's face was now matted with her juices, and his tail wagged erratically.

Following the command like a loyal companion, he brought his two front legs up onto her lower back. His ivory-white nails left soft red scratches as they moved their way up the woman's back. He lurched forwards without warning, intruding her pussy in one swift motion. The woman's face twisted in pleasure as the fire type began to rapidly thrust. He wasted no time in ravishing her.

Her body quivered in time with his movements, her cleavage bouncing forwards and backwards. This was accompanied the familiar smacking sound I had also heard earlier, the Growlithe's small body pounding into her as hard as he could muster. There was a faint squishing sound as his rod pushed its way into her slick folds. The Growlithe was panting quickly, enjoying being able to dominate his master this way. There were even soft, grey plumes of smoke emanating from his nostrils.

"Yes, that's it!" She screamed as the dog's dick somehow found its way even deeper inside of her. She was writhing under him at this point, too engulfed in the pleasure he was providing to keep still for his hips thrusting. She even slipped a finger into her backdoor, her anus parting as she hooked it inside her ass.

Both Growlithe and I seemed to be reaching the limit, my wrist was in pain with how fast I was going but there was no way I could stop. His thrusts grew slower but even more powerful. The woman's head whipped backwards and she arched her back. I noticed something fleshy rising from the base of the canine's penis. It was the size of a small baseball and it slowly parted the woman's pussy as he gave a last powerful thrust, being engulfed entirely.

"Let me feel your knot!" She howled in time with the Growlithe, his hips coming to a slow stop as he pumped her entrance full of his hot seed. Her eyes almost rolled into the back of her head as she was stretched. Her mouth was locked in an 'o'-shape as she accepted the full load of cum.

I thrust my body forwards and unleashed my own strands of semen, biting my lip to stop me from making any noise. The taste of copper spurted across my tongue as my teeth sunk into the soft flesh, but this only added to the climax. I was so entranced by the sight before me that I didn't even feel the pain. Ropes of white covered my chest and my hands, and as I sat there watching the woman take the knot of the Growlithe, the afterglow was not what I thought it would be.

There was a pang of guilt and remorse as my penis softened in my hand. In between my laboured panting, I closed down the website and turned off my monitor. Cleaning up the mess I had made with a baby wipe, I wondered if what I did was right. What I previously would have classed as disgusting a day ago was now sickeningly fascinating. Feeling the sleepiness hit me like Johto's Magnet Train, I was too fatigued to deal with the repercussions of what I had done.

As my head hit the pillow with a soft thud, I felt a strange noise emanate in my head like someone had just picked up the phone. The soft buzz ominously hung in the air. Fear washed over me as I realised what that must have been. I closed my eyes tightly in anticipation. This was it. I was done for.

' _Like I said, not so different.'_


	3. It's Not Too Late

The next morning, I spent longer than I should tangled in my messy bedsheets. Usually, I'd be diving into the shower but today I was just mindlessly staring up to my ceiling. Julian had definitely seen what I had done, and it was terrifying that he was powerful enough to know what was happening despite us being completely separated. Even with my vague knowledge of what he was like, I knew he would have already told Katie and the others what I had committed. I wasn't particularly scared of what they'd do about it, but it did make me look like kind of a dick just because I had instantly gone against what I had said yesterday.

Even amidst my shame, I couldn't shake that odd feeling that I got last night. It was as if I had gone through some life-altering journey in the space of five sweaty minutes. I was honestly afraid of how much I had enjoyed it, and even more rattled that the Gallade's vague message came to fruition in such a short time. I wasn't about to go label myself a poképhile just yet, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't interested in it. The conversation with the others would be interesting to say the least.

After the shower that I spent way too long just standing in, I didn't feel completely refreshed. I wondered how long I had actually had these urges and just didn't realise it. Sure, Julian could read my mind or whatever the hell he did and knew that I had the potential to be a raging deviant, but how did Thomas know? By this point, I knew that he didn't just mean we thought alike in normal terms, but was actively hinting towards my newfound penchant for Pokémon. Maybe spending that long in the business had taught him to be exceptional at reading people.

I decided to shove all these confusing feelings away in favour of running on autopilot. Before I even knew it, I was out the house and taking the trek across the familiar Route 121. Instead of focusing on trying to look good anymore, I picked an outfit that would be comfortable to wear for long hours in the ranch. I still didn't exactly have a clue of what Thomas actually wanted me to be doing, but there was no way I was wearing jeans while climbing across hills and chasing Pokémon. There was no point in keeping up appearances in front of people who just sort of displayed themselves openly.

When I reached the entrance building, I expected to find a grinning Thomas with some one-liner like "I told you so" and I braced myself for another slap on the back. Instead, the room was empty. I knew that I was here on time, but maybe he was out with the others or talking with a client somewhere else. I felt uneasy that I was left to my own devices, but I swallowed down the unwanted panic and decided to try and find the trio of unique characters I had met yesterday. The ranch was still vast and confusing despite being shown a tour, and I expected it would take weeks for me to remember the layout of the place.

Passing a scrapping pair of Lillipup, I spied the incubation shed not too far in the distance. Hannah was the person I spoke with the least, and my first impression was that she was relatively absent-minded and didn't really care about what others thought of her. I knew someone like that in high-school, just off in their own world. It would be nice to get to know her a little better, and I was excited to get to see the row of eggs another time. I was only given a brief peek last time.

Sure enough, the door to the shed was completely ajar and I could hear someone – presumably Hannah – whistling jovially to herself. Nothing to be scared of here, Alex. Just walk up and say hi to her. You've grown out of the awkward teenager phase by this point. If she's going to be your co-worker from now on, then getting to know her sooner rather than later would be a benefit.

Standing apprehensively in the doorframe, I noticed that one of the egg capsules had been opened and the contents were nowhere to be seen. In fact, it was the one that Thomas had been quizzing me on yesterday. The one on the far-right housing the Swablu. Hannah was kneeling down on the floor in front of all the intricate machines, wearing a lavender tank top and light blue jeans. I figured that she spent most of her work hours in here, so she didn't need the heavy-duty dungarees like Brandon. I walked softly into the building, not wanting to disturb her too much but also not wanting to scare her.

"Is everything alright, Hannah?" I asked quietly, concerned that all she was doing was sitting still and that the Swablu egg was gone.

"Oh, heya new guy." She whispered. "Check this out, bet you've never seen something this cool before."

Now that I had been given permission, I crept forwards to see what she was doing. I should have really seen it coming, but I was nonetheless surprised that she was cradling a large blue egg in a fuzzy blanket. That's why she wasn't trying to move too much. Her red lips were curved up in a proud smile as she watched the Swablu egg carefully. Looking down to her lap, it was immediately clear that the egg was about to hatch. Thick black cracks had split their way down the glossy surface like a lightning strike.

"Noticed them this morning." She stated, still not taking her eyes off the twitching ovoid. "This little one's hatching a little earlier than we thought, or else I would've moved the egg already. Not much I can do now but wait."

"Do you mind if I join you?" I questioned, too enthralled by the new miracle I was witnessing to be worried about what she'd think of me. The minute I had first laid – pun not intended – eyes on a Pokémon egg, I had wondered what it would look like when one hatched.

"Not at all, just talk quietly." She cooed, mostly saying this to the Swablu rather than turning to face me. "Hatchlings frighten easy."

What I had thought Hannah was all about had to be wrong. She sat with such a tenderness and spoke so quietly that it was like watching a different person than the lollipop-toting renegade I had seen yesterday. It was almost motherly; her posture was straightened and her gaze unwavering. She cared about these eggs. Not just in the sense that if anything were to happen it would affect business, but it was her great responsibility to ensure that there were no complications.

"How long have you been here?" I couldn't help but wonder. I knew that for some species, emerging from their eggs was a painstakingly slow process.

"I check on the eggs every couple of hours, and this little beauty was an early-hatcher, so since about 5 I think."

I was flabbergasted. She had been like this for 4 hours? Either she had the patience of a saint or she was superhuman. There was no way that I could sit like that doing nothing but watching an egg, even if I was interested in the whole process. The devotion was clear as the eggs were her personal duty, but there must be something about her personality that allowed her to have this sort of spirit. There was no sign of fatigue on her eyes even though she had been up as the sun was beginning to rise.

"How can you check every two hours? Do you live close to the ranch?" I felt a little like I was badgering her with questions, but she had to be at least a little lonely just sitting in here with nobody around.

"I live on-site actually. In the lodge." She let out a short yawn and she cracked her back. I didn't envy the fact she had been kneeling for hours upon hours. "I was Tom's first employee since before all this ranch stuff, so uh, he let me stay here once..."

It could have been my imagination, but it looked like her eyes were glazed over as if she was lost in thought. Her attention was still entirely on the egg, but there was a hint of another emotion somewhere in there. She was Thomas' first employee and even referred to him with a nickname, so they must have gone way back.

Before she could continue, a splitting _crack_ made us both jump. She was careful to hold the egg steady, but even she was shaken by the suddenness. From where she was sitting and holding the egg, she couldn't see what had just happened but from my position… I knew instantly what was going on.

There was a large, white beak poking through the eggshell and I was too amazed to say anything to Hannah. Before I even knew it, a huge chunk of the egg fell by the wayside and I was greeted with shiny, beady eyes. The blue shape in front of me shuddered as cloud-like wings splayed the rest of the egg apart. Faint chirping squawks sang to me as the Swablu's eyes were pinned onto me expectantly.

"Oh... that's not usually supposed to happen." Hannah mused, not sounding too annoyed or concerned, but thoroughly confused. "I was sure that I was holding the egg so that it would look at me."

Eggs weren't my area of expertise, but even I knew that whatever a new-born Pokémon first looked at, they would have an inherent bond with. It was customary to have the egg hatch in the trainer's hands to kickstart the relationship they would have together. Nobody knew why a hatchling was drawn to whoever it looked at first, but it was always a risk to consider when having multiple people in the room. I also knew that it didn't mean that the Pokémon would think that you were the mother, as even when newly born they were smarter than that, but either way I was slightly freaked out.

"Don't worry about all this, Alex." She said confidently, focusing her attention on me for the first time since I had entered the shed. "They bond to anyone quick when they're new to the world. Let me get the little tyke settled and you can come see later."

Even though I was fixated on the newly hatched Swablu in front of me, I knew that it wasn't my place to help with such a delicate process. Deciding to take my leave, Hannah thanked me for keeping her company. I couldn't help but blush a little as I shakily exited the sweltering barn.

I was distracted while in there, but I noticed that Hannah didn't smirk at me funny or anything like that. I could've chalked it up to her accepting personality, but I chose to believe that Julian didn't tell her what I was up to last night. I wouldn't put it past him to tell everyone all the dirty details. I hoped for my sanity's sake that he just knew that Hannah was occupied and didn't tell her. That just left Brandon and Katie to deal with.

The path to the lodge was much less winding and treacherous than the beginning of the ranch, but I still slowly meandered around and looked at all the different ranch inhabitants. Passing through the forested area at a Sliggoo's pace I craned my neck to look at all the snoozing Pokémon. Most notably was an intimidating Noctowl that glared at me through a single open eye as I walked by. I picked up the pace considerably after that.

Resigned to my fate, I kicked off my boots that I had only worn one other time when we had to go on a hike for charity at my high school. Thank Arceus that I had saved them, there was no way that I was trekking around the ranch in the shoes I'd usually wear. The lodge was considerably less quiet than I what I had stumbled upon yesterday and that either meant that nobody was feeling it at 9 in the morning, or they were being very quiet.

I almost turned around and walked straight back out the damn door when I spotted a solitary Gallade lounging on the couch again. This time, his trainer wasn't riding his lap, but he had a shit-eating grin like he was having the time of his life. I didn't even know how he managed to act so human-like.

' _We have so much to talk about.'_ What followed convinced me that he had orchestrated this very moment just for his own amusement as Katie and Brandon descended down onto me like wild Zubat. Amidst the flurry of questions from Katie like 'how was it?' and Julian's hysteric laughter ringing loud throughout my entire being, Brandon seemed to be the only source of reason.

"Guys, guys!" He broke up the commotion with his booming voice, bringing Katie and Julian's antics to an end. "I'm sure he's having a tough time without you two making it worse."

"Thanks, Brandon." I huffed as I collapsed onto the couch next to the devilish Gallade. I didn't blame them for acting like that, but it was still nerve-wracking to have people that I barely knew hounding me for something I was insecure about. "Can we have a conversation like normal people, please?"

Katie took a seat in the red, leather armchair that looked straight out of some hipster's modern apartment and calmed herself down. Brandon still chose to stand with his hands on his hips, like a mediator for the whole situation. He looked like a mother Pidgeot watching over her chicks.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just excited that you've joined the dark side." She apologised in half-sincerity and shot Julian a look that was a mix between one you'd give a puppy for peeing on the carpet and a boyfriend for upsetting you. What a strange relationship dynamic they had. She looked to be the dominant one in the bedroom.

' _My apologies, I can get a bit carried away playing with emotions.' '_ Aren't your species supposed to be good with the emotions of others?' ' _That's more of a Gardevoir thing. Also, no, she's not.'_

"I wouldn't say that I've 'joined' you guys, I just got a bit curious is all." I admitted, watching Julian trying to conceal a sly smile. There wasn't much you could get past a sneaky Psychic type who loved to delve into people's minds.

"And what did you think?" Katie asked with genuine interest. She didn't have the playful smile plastered on her face anymore, but was leaning forward in her chair perilously. She didn't look ready to make fun of me. I turned to Brandon and he had a similar expression, the room silent with baited breath.

"It was…" I faltered, struggling to put my true feelings into words. I still had trouble admitting how much I enjoyed what I had done as the torrent of guilt seemed to drown it out.

' _In all seriousness Alex, we're all accepting of you here, I know that Katie, Brandon and even Thomas have all been through the same thing that you're experiencing. It will be easier if you have people to talk to about it all.'_

"The hottest thing I think I've ever seen." Julian's words had spurred me on, and as much as I thought that he could be a little mischievous, he did have skill in choosing what the best thing to say in a situation was.

To my surprise, there was a collective sigh of relief from the two ranch workers. They looked honestly pleased at what I had said, even though I expected them to only question me further. They weren't looking to add to their weird, ragtag group of poképhiles, but were only looking for me to be true to myself.

"That's all we wanted you to say." Brandon smiled, towering over me while somehow still being the least intimidating presence in the room. "Julian said that you were conflicted about what you had seen, but what you did last night confirmed it for all of us. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

I felt heat rise to my face as I turned a bright shade of red. Both of them basically saw what was usually the most private thing about my life. It didn't help that both of them were incredibly good-looking now that I had got a proper look at them. Thomas knew how to pick out employees. Hell, Julian was well-toned even for Gallade standards. _'I'm flattered.'_

"It's alright if you still want to think about things a little more." Katie added, smiling at her gallant boyfriend across the room. Was he projecting my thoughts into their heads too? The thought made me wince and I made a mental reminder to just switch off whenever he was in the room.

"I can't argue with the evidence." I sighed, relieved to have figured things out with everyone. When you looked at it bluntly, there was no way you could deny that I wasn't at least interested in all of this. What Julian said was also true, it did feel instantly better when I had admitted it. Damn him for being good with all this mushy stuff.

' _Now all we need to do is get you in on all the fun.'_ 'Baby steps, Julian.' _'Are you sure accepting that you're a Poképhile in half a day is a baby step?'_

"By the way, where's Thomas?" I asked, ignoring the Psychic types mind-comments and suddenly realising that he was nowhere to be found. "I've been through most of the ranch, and I can't find him anywhere.

"He said that he was meeting a business partner, so he'll be back sometime in the afternoon." Brandon replied, taking a sip from his coffee mug. It smelled so strong that I wouldn't be surprised if he just drank it black. "We were just about to make our rounds, and he said that you could do whatever you pleased until he was back."

It still seemed like he was giving me too much freedom. While the others were doing the work they were actually employed for, I was just kind of wandering around taking in the sights. I couldn't blame him for meeting someone related to the business, but why did my job have to wait for him to come back? I just sat next to Julian as the others got prepared for work. I felt somewhat down that they had other obligations as we were just starting to get to know each other, but I couldn't really do anything about that. Sensing my increasing loneliness, Brandon gave me a reassuring smile.

"We'll meet back here at mid-day, and I feel like we should introduce you to my boys and the rest of Katie's group. I'm sure Julian isn't giving you a good impression of our squad so far."

The Gallade stuck his tongue out at the tanned ranch-worker. I started to snicker uncontrollably at the slight jab, but even through the laughter I could tell that it was all in good fun. They didn't see Julian as just another Pokémon, but as a bona fide member of their group. One who they could joke with but also share meaningful conversations when the time came.

On top of that, I was surprised that Brandon could tell that I was a bit disheartened that they were leaving and that he went out of his way to cheer me up. He could have just left with only saying his goodbyes, but he made sure to do what he could to make me feel better. He was kind almost to a fault, seeming to consider the feelings of others over his own.

"C'mon Julian, there's no way I can lift all the Pokémon food by myself!" Katie called on her way out the door, Brandon following soon behind after giving me a final nod. The Gallade pretended to tie a noose around his neck and made the face of someone choking. It was surprisingly accurate and ushered another laugh from me.

Before I knew it, I was left alone in the room. I wondered if Hannah was done with settling the new Swablu, and it wouldn't hurt to check in and see how she was doing. I wasn't really prepared to stay in this room by myself for hours on end either way. It was strange, because that was something that I usually would have preferred. This job seemed to be changing my mindset rather quickly, which I was glad for. If things kept going the way they were, I would actually turn into a normal person. Well, normal as this whole thing would allow anyway.

.-.-.-.-.-.

When I next saw Hannah, the long hours looked like they were starting to take their toll. Her eyes looked puffy and her pink hair was wild, but she still gave me a tired smile when I entered the building. There were pieces of cotton stuck to her clothes, which upon closer inspection had to be the shedding from Swablu's wings.

"Girl put up quite a fight." She chuckled, presenting her scratched arms to me triumphantly. They didn't look deep at all, but they still must have hurt. "She's all calmed down now though, no doubt used all her energy. Haven't seen a fighter like her in a long time."

"Surprising, Swablu are usually known to be mild." I noted, watching her dab the cuts on her arms with a wet cloth.

"This one didn't get the memo." She laughed. "I left her with her mother, but they won't mind if you want to come and have a look."

With that, we set off together to locate the baby Swablu. Hannah seemed to know the ranch like it was second nature, taking pathways that I never even knew existed. It made sense that she would need to be quick in cases of emergency with the eggs and whatnot, but it was still impressive. We didn't rush or hurry to where she was, instead taking the time to enjoy the scenery.

"So Alex, you interested in taking this Swablu?" She asked, raising a trimmed eyebrow and elbowing me playfully, almost knocking me off balance. "The other two don't seem all that interested in eggs, so it's nice to see someone with their head on straight."

"Isn't this Swablu for a client?" I asked, rubbing my hip painfully. She didn't seem to know how strong she was, but it felt like I had just taken an Arm Chop from a Makuhita.

"Nah, Tom left his Dragonite here for a few days and he seemed to take a liking to the Altaria we have here. No idea why his 'nite was here though. He never usually leaves one of his main team here."

"Wow, so it's the daughter of one his own." I whistled, impressed with Thomas. It wasn't every day that you see a trainer who owned a Dragonite, even catching a glimpse of one was incredibly rare. "Think he'll take it?"

"He said he was done with training for now, so she'll just live here." She sighed wistfully. "It happens a lot, but they usually get snapped up once he notifies his client list."

"Would he be okay with his employees taking a Pokémon?" I asked, seriously considering the option of adopting the Swablu. It was the first ever opportunity that I had to get my own Pokémon now that I was old enough, and I could apply for a trainer's license whenever I liked. My brother was working all the time, and my mother couldn't really say otherwise since she was only back a few times a year.

"I've taken a few, yeah. Need to run it by him first, though." She said, passing her fingers across the tiny, inactivated Pokéballs on her belt. It seemed like everyone here was either a trainer or just had Pokémon for companionship. It made me burn with curiosity to see everyone's teams all together.

In the distance, I was at first confused to see what looked like a cloud that had fallen from the sky. I questioned whether I had got enough sleep last night when I realised that I wasn't just looking at some optical illusion. There was an Altaria, basking in the sun and until now I didn't realise how large they were. Easily five feet tall, the cloud-like material that covered most of their bodies made them look much wider than they actually were. Her head was tucked neatly into the fluffy plumage and she looked just like a massive blanket of puffy smoke.

We both approached slowly, careful not to startle her into taking off. She might've been a trained Pokémon but her motherly instincts would kick in if we upset her in any way. Hannah took the lead while I cautiously fell back a bit. Her tattooed arms were raised to show that she wasn't a threat.

"Hey girl, I brought the guy I was telling you about. The one your chick bonded with." She said in the sweetest tone, almost like she was talking to a child without being too patronising. She clearly had lots of experience dealing with mothers. The Altaria's long neck rose as she turned to face us.

"Al, taria tar Altaria!" She sang, voice sharp in my ears. It was unreal how she changed pitches masterfully, like a singer who had been practicing all their life. The sun made her wings glisten with an iridescent sheen. It was a beautiful sight.

Rousing from sleep at the sound of her mother's voice, a tiny blue face peeked out of the Altaria's plumage. It was almost comical, the way the Swablu was completely enveloped by the massive clouds. It must have been extremely comfy to be tucked away inside there, like a pillow that covered you entirely. At the sight of me, the Swablu faintly chirped as she tried to wrestle free from her mother's fluffy mass.

Finally dislodging herself, the Swablu scrambled over to meet me. Her plumage was nowhere near as impressive as her mother's but her wings were still covered in the cotton candy-like feathers. With surprising strength for a new-born, she flapped them feverishly to make herself flutter off the ground in quick bursts.

I knelt down and held out my hands, shaking slightly at the idea of being so close to a weak, delicate baby Pokémon. She nuzzled her way into them, and the first thing I noticed was that she was extremely warm. From a combination of being in the sun and getting warmed up in her mother's feathers, it was like holding a hot-water bottle. I couldn't help but bring her closer to my chest, feeling her cloudy wings brush against my arms. The consistency was impossible to describe, almost feeling lighter than air but somehow having substance to them.

"See how much of a difference being the first thing you see makes?" Hannah asked, and for a moment I had forgot that she was standing in front of me. "If I had tried that, I'd have even more scratches."

The Swablu cooed happily in my embrace and I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. I saw Hannah with a wide smile on her face, and even the Altaria looked pleased. I had expected her to get antsy that someone else was holding her baby, but she seemed to understand that her child had taken a liking to me.

"Swablu blu!" The little blue ball cried in my arms, her shining eyes staring expectantly. Even her inexperienced voice had a sing-song quality to it, though it was nowhere near as practiced as the one I had heard earlier. Still, it was pleasant to listen to and made me relax so far into the fluffy Pokémon that I was hugging her.

'" _You're much nicer than that girl!"'_ Julian translated, and I didn't care if he was being accurate or not, let alone how he heard that. In any other moment, I would have questioned just what the limit of his abilities were. This was too nice of a moment to let him spoil any of it, though.

"If you want to take her home, you'll have to wait a little while until Altaria is comfortable with letting her go." Hannah wavered, unsure if she should interrupt the embrace we were having. "It shouldn't be longer than about a week."

We spent a while interacting with the Swablu until we realised the sun was slowly approaching the middle of the sky. I felt bad about leaving her but she still needed to be close to her mother. Hannah promised that she would take me to her whenever we both had the time which I had appreciated. We began the trek back to the lodge, and I was wagering a guess that Hannah would be passing out in her room as soon as we returned.

Everyone at this ranch was so willing to make me comfortable, well, Julian could be a bit iffy at times but that was just who he was. Despite preparing to hear a comeback appear in my mind, it stayed silent. Was he really just checking in on me whenever he pleased? There was no way that he could be in my head all the time, so it made the most sense. It scared me that I was so accepting of another voice in my head, belonging to an intelligent Gallade no less.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Back at the lodge, once we had all eaten our fill of the well-stocked fridge and Hannah had tapped out for a while, we were all grouped in the 'back garden'. It was more like a massive section of flatland behind the building rather than a garden. Katie and Brandon looked slightly more worn-down but still full of energy and Julian was as unmoving as ever. Like he promised, Brandon and Katie were preparing to show me the Pokémon that they had attained over the years. Hannah was just too tired, but I was sure that I'd see them at some other point.

"Since I suggested the idea, it's only natural that I'd be first." He said, producing a classic red-and-white Pokéball from his pocket. Without hesitating, he enlarged the shining sphere and tossed it into the air with a cheery yell. "Indra, come on out!"

Appearing from thin air in a disorienting flash of white light stood a proud Manetric. Looking like he had been born from thunder and lightning itself, the patches of long yellow fur crackled and sparked as he showed off his prowess. The deep blue sections of his coat stood on end and his pointed tail was as still as a lightning rod. Glowing with life, his red eyes focused solely on his trainer.

"Indra's been with me since I was a kid." Brandon explained, smiling almost as proud as the electric canine in front of him. "Not much fazes him now but he used to be quite the softie. You're free to run around boy, the others will be out soon."

With that, the Manetric slackened his almost militaristic pose and took off to stretch his four legs. I had noticed that all trainers were proud of their starter Pokémon, no matter how old they were. There was an unshakable bond that they always had, and I wondered if I was going to be like that with Swablu. If I managed to get her, that is.

"Next, I'd like to introduce these two as a pair since they're pretty inseparable." Brandon grinned while brandishing another two Pokéballs. "I'll let them speak for themselves!"

Before the white light even vanished, I noticed the two separate Pokémon were already entangled. When I could see clearly again, an Emolga was riding on the back of a shocked Blitzle. The equine Pokémon was startled by the Emolga's presence and was bucking wildly, trying to shake him off. His wide blue-yellow eyes starkly contrasted his black and white hide, and it was hard to keep track of the two as he galloped off into the distance. He was trying to seek out Indra for assistance, the Emolga cackling mischievously all the way, his yellow cheeks sparking with joy.

"Dominic and Zack. I lived in Unova for most of my late childhood, and picked them up at about the same time. I've pretty much given up in trying to tell Zack not to pester Dom."

I couldn't help but notice the theme that was going on. It wasn't uncommon to see trainers who preferred training a specific type as everyone had their preferences, but it wasn't the smartest idea if you wanted to battle competitively. I doubted that Brandon cared about beating other trainers, as his kindness probably didn't vanish if he had to battle someone.

"Hey uh, Brandon?" I piped up, wondering if he a funny story for training only electric types. "Is there a reason why-"

"Because I'm gay." He simply replied and while that was not going to be my question, it did explain why he only had male Pokémon. By my silence and shocked expression, he must have realised his mistake. "Oh! You meant the types!"

That caused the four of us to erupt into laughter, even Julian's spiritual chuckling could be heard deep in my ears over the racket we were making. It was the first moment where we had all shared a good laugh together, and it made my heart flutter that we were breaking down the walls of just being co-workers. After wiping a tear from his eye, Brandon looked over at the three quarrelling electric types, Indra had successfully tackled Zack off of Dominic, and cleared his throat.

"It just kind of happened that way, I guess. Indra was a gift from my father who was also into training electric types and when I realised that I had a theme with Dom and Zack, I didn't have the heart to tell him that it wasn't planned."

With his turn over, he did his best to break up the playful fight that was erupting and returned his three team members to their balls. It seemed like a handful to have three eccentric electric Pokémon who zipped about all over the place, but if anyone could handle that madness, it would be Brandon.

"I don't really need a big song and dance to introduce Julian." Katie started, doing jazz hands toward the conniving swordsman which elicited a few chuckles from me and Brandon. "I caught him right outside Petalburg where I grew up, realised that he had some innate ability to read people – even by a psychic's standards – and then I couldn't get a new one."

' _Hah, hah.'_ Julian said while being punched lovingly on the shoulder. It seemed like they had been together for so long that one couldn't be without the other. They were so melded into each other's personalities that it would feel like there was something missing with only one of them.

"The rest are immensely more interesting so I'll start in order from when I got them." She said while pulling a Great Ball from the purse by her side. "Go, Leilana!"

Emerging from the obscuring light was a small Bellossom, she opened her eyes slowly and nervously brought her stubby, green hands to her mouth. The large red, flowers adorning her head spun slowly as she looked us over. As soon as she saw me, she recoiled and ran towards Katie. The hula skirt made from petals swished rhythmically as she hid behind her trainer's leg. She peered back over at me with an unsure expression.

"She's the shyest Pokémon I've ever met, and even as an Oddish it was pretty bad." Katie giggled, moving her leg so that the grass type was in the open again for a few precious seconds. "I wouldn't have any different, isn't that right honey?"

She knelt down and tussled the Bellossom's flowers which began to spin more rapidly. I was beginning to see what kind of trainer she really was, the type to shower each and every one with affection even if it was unwanted. I wondered if she did that with Julian. ' _Only when I was a Ralts and believe me, it took all my willpower to endure it.'_

"Come on, Lei." She crooned. "You're going to have to get used to Alex at some point."

I waved reassuringly as the grass type tip-toed back out into the open. She gave me a soft smile as her cheeks were tinged with red splotches. She was adorable, but looked almost as delicate as a real flower and I couldn't imagine that Katie used her to battle.

"Next up is the one constantly rivalling Julian for dominance." She sighed, pulling out a pure white Premier Ball with some hesitance. Throwing it high into the air after some careful deliberation, I was slightly worried as to its contents.

Crouched down in the signature white flash, a Zangoose emerged dramatically with tightened eyes. His sharp, gleaming claws were cracked and scratched which I assumed meant that he had seen his fair share of intense battles. Aside from the red tinged patches of fur that were meant to mimic battle scars, I could clearly see very real scars through his platinum coat. He looked like a Pokémon that nobody would want to mess with.

"His name's Keaton and he's probably the toughest son of a bitch I've ever met." She said proudly, strutting over to the wary Zangoose and pulling him into a hug. He scowled but nevertheless leaned into the embrace with disdain. "I rescued him back when I used to travel around a little. He has balls bigger than most guys, took on a whole pack of Seviper by himself."

He did indeed look capable of something like that. His eyes were darting around the surroundings, looking for any sign of danger even though he had likely been in this area countless times. It was intimidating that so far, Katie had a mixture of Pokémon that looked harmless and ones that could seriously fuck your shit up. I couldn't tell who I'd like to fight the least, her Gallade or her Zangoose.

' _He thinks he's hot stuff, but we've established that I'm still the alpha.'_ 'Whatever you say, Julian.' Even though the words he was projecting should have been said with the same snarky tone that always tinged his voice, they were surprisingly absent from that sentence. Instead, there was something that I thought I'd never hear from him. Admiration.

I noticed slyly that Leilana was acting much more comfortably now that the spotlight was on Keaton rather than her. She was absentmindedly wiggling her hips to an invisible beat, waving her small arms in tandem. Bellossom were known for always dancing to some tune, but it was great to actually see it in action.

"Lastly, the newest addition to the group!" She cheered, producing a very shiny, black Luxury Ball. While the other types of Pokéball were commonplace, I had never seen someone who could afford to have such an expensive one. Throwing up in the air like she couldn't care less about its value, I braced myself for another flash of light.

It revealed a sparkling Sylveon, who immediately arranged his flowing bows and ribbons into an elaborate pose. His shining blue eyes were wide and alert, and his bushy pink tail was already swishing with enjoyment. The blue tips of his ribbons were waving in the slight breeze as he sat primly, giving each of us a fanged smile.

"Nobody claimed an Eevee egg not that long ago, and this little guy's the reason I've got so good at playing with the other Pokémon, I didn't even need to battle or train with him and he evolved." She explained, gazing at her Sylveon in an almost trance-like state. "Isn't he captivating?"

' _Maxxie is dangerous, let me tell you now, he has the ability Cute Charm, so if you're attracted to guys I wouldn't look too hard.'_ The warning had come just in time, as I had already found myself staring at all the curving ribbons a little too long. I shook my head took a deep breath to steady myself again. 'Thanks Julian.'

I turned to see Brandon averting his gaze as well. What a terrifying ability for a Pokémon to have, especially for poképhiles. I wondered if Katie had chosen that form for that specific reason, because it seemed like something she would aim towards.

Now that I had seen everyone else's companions, it only made my drive to get that Swablu even stronger. There was no doubt in my mind anymore, I wanted to have a Pokémon so that I could be a part of something I never got to experience. It wasn't too late to start training or collecting, and I felt a burning fire inside of me that I hadn't felt since I was kid.

"Having a little Pokémon powwow, are we?" A familiar voice called out from behind us, making each one of us spin around at different times. Katie was the last to notice, finally being pulled away from her Sylveon's allure. Thomas stood before us, holding a stereotypical leather briefcase and wearing a smart, black suit. He was never without his smile, either. "I would have expected things to be hot and heavy at this point in the afternoon."

"Just showing Alex what we're all about, boss." Brandon said, giving the beaming businessman a courteous wave. "And you were right, we're pretty sure that he's one of us now!"

"Wonderful!" He exclaimed, and I expected a pat on the back even though he was about ten feet away from me. "If we're all done here, I'd like to speak to you all inside the lodge, I have great news!"

He was grinning like an Alolan Meowth who had just caught a Rattata, and wiggled the briefcase at us forcefully. Whatever was inside he was incredibly pleased about, and it looked to be the result of his business meeting that he was attending. Our interests piqued, we hurried inside after Katie returned her Pokémon.

"What I have in this briefcase will change how we go about things at this ranch!"


	4. Gym Leaders of Breeding

**Author's N** **ote:** Since I got my first few reviews, I'll be replying to any feedback that I get at the start of any new chapters that I write. I like reading your messages, so don't hesitate to give me some criticism or whatever else you wanna say, it's all good!

 **First Guest** – Yeah, most of my favourite stories on here have a good plot weaved in with all the sexy shenanigans going on. I'm giving it my best shot to balance the two, but so far, its proving hard. I'm focusing on establishing the ranch and its characters before we do any hardcore stuff first.

 **Second Guest** – I've laid the groundwork for plenty of yaoi opportunities in the future, with both Alex's bisexuality and Brandon's homosexuality, so it's just a matter of time before we explore them (and they explore each other).

 **Thor94 –** Yup, Alex will be getting to try a mix of male and female Pokémon, so it will definitely be in future chapters.

* * *

"What I have here…" Thomas paused while unlatching the clip on the briefcase, gleefully watching our faces light up like kids opening their presents on Christmas day. "Are state-of-the-art, experimental Pokémon translators from the Devon Corporation!"

There was a collective gasp as he unveiled the fruit of his efforts. Five of the same strange piece of tech lay in front of us, wrapped in a white cloth to keep them pristine and undamaged. They looked similar to the Bluetooth headset that Thomas was always wearing but were far more complex, looking more like a very expensive hearing aid than anything else. They were a midnight black colour, complete with a blue dial on the side to control volume and the iconic Devon logo on the front. They were shaped to fit on your right ear, and we couldn't believe what we were looking at.

"Holy shit…" Hannah whispered, now roused from her nap at the prospect of new technology. She was still wiping the sleep from her eyes and had a sleeping mask propped up on her forehead, but the excitement was waking her up faster than caffeine would. "How much did this even cost, Tom!?"

"I've done some work for a guy at Devon, so he managed to get us these free of charge." It sounded almost too good to be true, and I had never even heard of such a device that could turn Pokémon speech into English. It must have still been confidential, worked on only in secret and not accessible to the public. "The devices each send diagnostic reports to Devon every week, so we're essentially the beta testers."

He might as well of been carrying solid gold in that briefcase, we each looked at them with such lustre and amazement. The possibilities that these small machines provided was almost unfathomable, and I had barely any contact with Pokémon before all of this. I couldn't begin to imagine what the others were thinking. They would finally be able to understand what their companions were saying without the help of Julian.

 _'_ _Think of all the dirty things they could hear their Pokémon say to them.'_ Julian hinted and I was too caught up in what I was looking at to even give him a scathing reply. He might have been all talk in my head, but he had the same glisten in his eye as the rest us. It must have been tiring for him to use his psychic abilities to even speak the same way as we do. This would change everything for him.

"I can't believe it…" Brandon rasped, looking almost faint at the prospect of being able to speak with his own Pokémon. His kind demeanour was replaced by something different, a mixture of excitement and disbelief. "How can something like this even exist!?"

"Can we try them out, Thomas?" Katie asked, eager to get her hands on the priceless headsets and test them out with Julian. She must have been so used to his telepathic speech that it would be strange hearing him speak normally.

"Actually, the whole reason I got them was for the new position I was opening at the ranch." He didn't even hide the fact that he was looking at me, and I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room drilling into me. I wanted a hole to appear in the floor and swallow me so that the pressure would go away, Thomas was evil the way he was putting me on the spot. "With these, the Pokémon Psychologist can finally get to work. I think we should let him have the first crack at them."

He was insane. He hired me before he even got the technology that would allow me to do my job. He was trusting me with such an expensive asset that wasn't even available to the general public yet. I was already thinking of ways that I could repay him and I couldn't come up with anything less than being his servant for the rest of his life. Why was he this generous? He had just come and plucked me from my hermitry, then added to me to some sort of master plan he had for the ranch.

Still, I was accepting the translator that was being pushed into my hands by every member in the room. I was afraid that I would drop it on the floor with fumbling hands, but somehow, I managed to press the 'ON' switch and fit it onto my ear. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it would take some getting used to having that extra weight on my ear. It didn't have a slight ring or anything, and was so silent that I thought something had already broken inside it.

"Brandon can't sleep unless he's cuddling his Pikachu plushie." I almost jumped out of my skin at the presence of a new voice in the room. It was one I had never heard before, deep and elegant with an element of extravagance that made me feel like a king was talking down to me. The volume as abnormally loud, sounding like it had come from…

Julian was facing me, and the others were staring at him like he had just said the most horrific string of slurs. Hannah noted quietly that she had never ever heard him use his normal voice, and it just struck me that I understood every word he said. His words didn't echo like they had used to.

"Really, he can't?" I grinned back at the Gallade, catching on to what he was wanting to do. Everyone else looked at me in bewilderment as I answered the psychic type. To them, it must have seemed like I could understand the various 'Gallade's perfectly.

"He brings it everywhere with him." Julian snickered, and it was extremely uncanny to watch his lips move with words accompanying them. His voice was slightly hoarse, like he hadn't spoken for days.

"Guys, it really works!" I cheered, turning back to watch the shock on everyone's faces. They looked even more surprised to see me this excited about something. "I know what he's saying!"

The next half an hour or so was spent handing out the translators and having everyone speak with Julian. At one point he even had to go drink a glass of water because he wasn't used to using his real voice anywhere near that much. Brandon, Katie and Hannah all ran outside to test it with their Pokémon while Thomas chose to stay inside with me. It was the first time I had a moment alone with him since I left the ranch yesterday.

He was sitting on the red armchair, fiddling away with his own translator. While he dressed the part of stuck-up boss, he acted just like another one of us. It made me wonder what kind of trainer he was; having a Dragonite on your team would be no easy task even for veterans. He noticed my unsubtle staring and cracked me his million-dollar smile.

"Thomas, why are you doing all this?" I asked, almost getting tired of the way he would do that damn grin any time I would a question that related to his plans. He seemed to know what he was doing but at the same time act as if he had no idea. To my surprise, his reaction was the complete opposite of what I predicted.

He gave me a serious glance with his verdant, green eyes. I could just tell he was about to launch into an inspirational speech. I had just now noticed how professional his face could become, and I assumed this was the persona he adopted when in boardroom meetings. It was almost intimidating, and I fell silent as I lost myself in his gaze.

"I know this might sound unobtainable right now, but I want this place to become the best breeding establishment in Hoenn. I don't want our names to be widely known in households, no, I want our names to be in the list of every gym leader and champion."

He paused for a moment to let his words sink in, taking a sip of water. What he was saying sounded exactly like he had said in the beginning, there was no way that a simple breeding business could reach that level of prestige. Not the way that things were going, anyway.

"How are you going about it?" I asked, genuinely curious as to where his line of thinking was heading. It was all well and good to dream like that, but nothing would come about without having a plan of action. Despite all my sitting around after getting out of school, it was putting up that flyer that had brought me to where I am now.

"I'm employing people who, perhaps if things had gone differently, could have been a gym leader."

What…? I tried hard not to voice my disbelief out loud. There was no way that he was referring to me or even someone like Brandon when he said that. That was going way too far even for him. Gym leaders were the best of the best, unrivalled in their area of expertise.

"Have you ever noticed that the leaders in Hoenn each have a distinct part of their personality that's easily noticeable? Flannery's hot-headedness despite her inexperience, Wattson's ingenuity, even Roxanne's want to teach children the basics of Pokémon?"

"But that's the whole reason why they lead a gym in the first place, what they have makes them unique in their own ways." I countered, rising to meet Thomas' question. I was enthralled in this conversation as he had somehow got his hooks into me.

"Each one of you has the same thing, I'm sure you've noticed it. Brandon's ability to be kind no matter the situation, Hannah's unwavering devotion to the eggs she cares for and even Katie's love for the Pokémon she has gotten close with."

"But we're working for a breeder, not being gym leaders." I still had no idea where he was going with any of this. He was linking two things that were completely unrelated in my mind. Breeding and battling rarely complimented each other at all. The battlers would use the breeders for their services and that was as far as it went.

"Exactly. I want you guys to be the gym leaders of breeding." There was that grin again. It meant that he must have reached the defining point in his argument.

"What does that mean though, Thomas?" I was beginning to get hot-blooded at this point.

"I've not been picking my employees randomly. You each have something that makes you useful and that will make my business grow. Once it begins to take off, the leaders will take notice."

"You didn't mention me in that list." I stated, my self-confidence beginning to spiral downwards. I wasn't angry at Thomas in any way, but more annoyed at myself. I couldn't argue about the defining qualities of the other workers because it was one of the first things I noticed about them. Myself, on the other hand, I was just teenager who happened to get good grades.

"I didn't. Because you're going to prove yourself now that we have these translators." He tapped on the Devon corporation logo jutting out from his ear. "Your job is to talk with the Pokémon here, connect with them like no breeder ever has before, and get their opinions on what more could be done at the ranch."

The thing that I had been waiting for him to tell me since we had that life-changing phone call yesterday had arrived. My purpose here would be to bond with the Pokémon and consult them on the state of the ranch. It made sense logically, as they should have just as much a say in what happens here as the employees did. Something about it was still confusing me, however.

"Why did you pick me?" I simply asked, searching the forest inside his eyes for any hint of an answer.

"First of all, your exceptional grade in Pokémon Psychology. You keep playing down the fact that you were the best in the region, but it's a great achievement. It basically makes you the gym leader of Pokémon Psychology. "

When he put it like that, what he was saying earlier did begin to make a little bit of sense. If he was going to hire someone based on their ability to understand how Pokémon think and act, then there wouldn't be a better person than me.

"Secondly, you have such a strong desire to get closer to Pokémon. You've gone most of your life without experiencing them first-hand, so that leaves you with a burning passion to learn all that you can about them. Most people are around Pokémon so much that they can forget how amazing they are. We need someone like you."

I had learned of Thomas' true goal, and although it sounded idiotic at first; I was starting to see where he was coming from. He was hunting for people that were unique. He didn't just need a pair of extra hands that could push lumber around… he was looking for people with skills that were hard to come across. People that could apply themselves to breeding Pokémon. The gym leaders of breeding.

"Okay Thomas, you've convinced me." I gave in, too beaten down by his enthusiasm to try and argue with him anymore. I would just have to accept that he did have a reason for hiring me. "If you want this business to be on the radar of the gym leaders, then I'm with you."

"We can do it together, Alex." He assured, getting up and walking behind the couch I was sitting on. I felt a re-assuring hand clasp my back, and for the first time it wasn't just a throwaway gesture that he must have done to everyone. There was something else different about the way his hand brushed against me, something gentler than before. "Together. With everyone else."

.-.-.-.-.-.

After that heart-to-heart, Thomas decided to take his leave. He grabbed the briefcase and said his goodbyes, halfway out the door before I even gave a reply. He looked eager to leave for something, and I assumed that he was just as excited to try out the translator as we were. Even though our break was nearing its end, I couldn't help but notice that my fellow employees hadn't returned from the back garden. I didn't want to be a spoilsport but I wasn't going to find out how angry Thomas could get when he found out his workers weren't doing their jobs. I had figured that they were just spending time talking with their Pokémon for the first time.

Instead, I found them all doing something that I really should have foreseen. Each one of them was in a different state of undress, Brandon had slackened his dungarees and thrown his shirt onto the dry grass behind him. I couldn't help but pass my eyes slowly over his chest, taking in all the glorious musculature as much as I could. Doing all the handiwork around the ranch had left him with a body that contrasted his sweet, nerdy face. He was lying next to his discarded shirt, locked in a passionate kiss with Indra. Sparks seemed to dance and twirl their way across his body, but he had either built up a resistance or just didn't care. His tanned fingers were losing themselves in patches of the Manetric's crackling fur.

Katie, obviously, was tangled up in Julian's embrace. The shorts she was wearing had been pulled down to her ankles as the Gallade ravenously grinded against her. The dainty cream sweater she was always wearing was unfortunately still on her body. Julian's arm blades were carefully positioned as far away from her body as he could get them, something he must have gotten skilled at. I wouldn't want to suddenly be pierced with them in the middle of a romantic night.

And then there was Hannah, who hadn't taken off any articles of clothing but instead had her face hidden in the thighs of a Pokémon who I hadn't seen before. A lithe, brown bunny was splayed out in the grass. She had massive, floppy ears which came down to her waist that ended in yellow, fuzzy puffs that reminded me of Swablu's clouds. Her hands were hidden by a layer of this yellow fluff, but they were placed on the back of Hannah's head, grasping at her short, pink hair and pushing her head down further.

Clearly, they were doing a lot more than just testing out the translators and I almost kicked myself as another one of Julian's predictions came true. I wondered if he truly did have some omniscient foresight or was just really good at judging what people were about to do. Either way, it didn't change the fact I was witnessing another round of poképhilia right on the grassland in front of me.

"E-excuse me, you're that cute guy from earlier, r-right?" A small voice sounded out from the grass below me. It was that adorable Bellossom from earlier, and I was impressed that she had worked up the courage to come over and speak to me. She looked quite left out amidst all the action happening around her. "Katie got all wrapped up in Julian, so can I have some fun with you?"

I had no clue what to say to the grass type in front of me. Watching poképhilia and partaking in it were still vastly different in my eyes, and I wasn't sure that I was even experienced enough in the first field. Hell, I had only got the chance to fool around with a couple girls back in high school and that didn't go past very inexperienced third-base. Even less with guys.

 _'_ _Just do it already. It's a rarity for Leilana to ask something of anyone in the first place. She'd be a good first time, too.'_ Julian clearly didn't want to spoil the time he was having with Katie, but he still took the time to telepathically tell me what to do even while pounding his girlfriend. His multi-tasking skills were impressive, if unnerving.

When I looked at it that way, he was right. I would never get anything done if I jumped into the deep end with Indra's electric shocks or Maxxie's terrifying Cute Charm ability. It was better to start off with something that I could handle, and an absolutely precious Bellossom who was sure to be gentle and considerate was perfect.

"Uh, I haven't really done stuff like this, so is that okay?" I asked, kneeling down to meet Leilana face-to-face. The flowers that obscured most of her head were letting off a very strong scent, almost like a mixture of vanilla and raspberry. It was a strange combination, but I couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"Oh yeah, t-that's fine. We can do things s-slowly." She stuttered. The way she was fidgeting with the hem of her hula-skirt and avoiding my gaze reminded me almost of myself. We had similar personalities, despite the fact we were of entirely different species and gender.

With that, we walked away together to somewhere that was a bit quieter. I wasn't having my first time being overseen by Julian and my co-workers, and I pushed the thought that the psychic type could be watching anyway far to the back of my mind. While walking, she reached up and grabbed my hand with one of her small appendages. I couldn't get over how cute she was, and I made a mental note to compliment Katie on her choice of Pokémon. The way her skirt swayed with her movements was almost hypnotic.

She was quite tall for a Bellossom, coming up nearly to my waist. She wasted no time in clarifying that fact as she began to fiddle with the button on the comfiest pair of jeans I could find. We had only stopped for a second, but she was already trying to get me on the ground with my pants off. I wondered if she was trying to take the lead because I was still inexperienced.

I decided to help with the button, but I let her pull my jeans down all the way to my ankles. I was wearing pretty embarrassing boxers that were covered in a polka dot print, but she didn't seem to mind. She paused for a moment, unsure if she should touch them in the same way she did my jeans. Before I could give her any direction, she yanked them down without a second thought. I did my best to hold back a yelp.

No sooner was my dick exposed to the cool, outdoor air than it was being handled by Leilana. She didn't exactly have hands, but nonetheless brushed her green appendages across my shaft gently. I felt it slowly come to life, hardening under her incredibly loose grasp. Already, my mind was solely focused on her skilful teasing as everything else seemed to meld away into the background. I expected her to be fumbling over it, but she was surprisingly masterful at touching me in all the right ways.

She gave me a shy smile before she stuck out her small, pink tongue. Slowly, she drew small circles with her tongue across the head of my cock which, at the incredibly soft sensation, made me tense and twitch. I bucked my hips forward slightly, trying to push into her mouth. She let out a soft giggle as she complied, forming a wet seal around my tip. Gently, she took the first inch of me inside of her.

The warmth inside her of tiny mouth enveloped my head, her tongue now working on teasing the underside of my shaft. I felt her hot breath flush against the rest of my dick as she kept her mouth wide open, allowing me slide in even further. She didn't even get halfway down before I felt my head pushing against her throat. It was no surprise that the size difference was noticeable, but she tried her best to take as much of me as she could.

She looked up at me with innocent, sparkling blue eyes as my cock pressed against the entrance to her throat, trying to delve even further inside of her. I was corrupting this timid Bellossom, turning her into a means to pleasure myself. My dick twitched at the thought of the meek girl I had met only hours earlier now worshiping my shaft. She let out a soft gag as she maintained the eye contact, using her 'hands' to fondle my balls. Slowly, she backed off of me only to sink back down.

She began to bob her head with surprising speed, making me groan out as I entered the grass type's accepting maw repeatedly. The service that I had received by those high school girls paled in comparison to Leilana and she swiftly put them all to shame. The eagerness with which she was willing to receive my hard manhood belied her shy personality. I played with one of the large, red flowers on her head which, surprisingly, made her squeal against my cock. I wondered how sensitive they were.

Almost as quickly as she had begun, she stopped. I had noticed that one of her arms was hidden under her grassy skirt, and she was blushing as she rhythmically shook. The whole reason that she had sought me out was so that she could feel good, so it would only be fair for me to repay the favour.

Taking initiative, I kicked off the constricting materials around my ankles and brought us over to a bench. I couldn't help but think that Brandon installed these just for moments like this, and as soon as I sat down Leilana was up on my lap she was all over me. The ends of her skirt tickled my legs, and the fruity scent from earlier had been only been heightened now that we were so close to each to each other.

"I've wanted you Alex… s-since the moment I saw you." She whispered, her face so close to mines that I thought she was going to kiss me. "Please, I want you."

Her whimpering. wanting voice stoked something within me. It was that strange, adrenaline-like feeling I had got watching that video. My usual, reserved self-took a backseat for this new Alex. It was a primal urge that I needed to satisfy in any way that I could. Without giving her warning, I lifted her up and parted the grassy skirt that hid what I was dying to see.

Her pussy was soaked. Her juices were slowly travelling down her inner thighs, the consistency looked much thicker than what I was normally used to. Almost like honey or syrup, I wondered whether it would be a good enough lubricant. Having seen all that I needed to, I brought her down so that my tip was poking at her entrance. She shuddered and let out a shaky breath.

I sank her down forcefully, making her take the full length of my manhood all at once. Her incredibly tight walls squeezed my dick as I burrowed my way into the hilt inside of her. I had to grit my teeth just to stop me from blowing my load right there. She moaned as she wiggled her tiny hips, basking in the feeling of being filled completely. I could have sworn that the air around us was tinged with a pink mist, but I ignored it and focused on the cute little hula girl writhing in my lap.

Her face got close once again and, to my surprise, she pressed her lips onto mines. Due to the shape of her mouth, it was a little awkward but she powered through it. Her tongue pushed its way in, and we wrestled for dominance inside each other's mouths. While we were tasting each other, I thrust with reckless abandon. Her light body was being thrown around as I ravaged her inside, causing her to squeal out into our kiss. The slight slapping sound made by my hips against her backside was muffled by her skirt.

I felt an incredibly warm feeling surge its way up from deep inside me and I knew that I was reaching my limit. I didn't want to break away from the fruity kiss we were sharing, and I was preparing to cum, I felt her walls get even tighter around me. She shook uncontrollably, breaking away from the kiss with a trail of our mixed saliva. She let out a string of unintelligible moans mixed with words as she wrapped her arms tightly around my back.

Her walls pulsated as her pussy got unbearably warm, I could feel her sap-like juices run down my legs as she completely lost herself. They pulsated as my own orgasm struck me, graciously accepting the surge of cum that I was plunging into her. I couldn't help but bite my lip again, afraid of making too much noise. I pulled her even closer to me, holding her tightly as we rode out the rest of the high together.

We spent a few precious minutes just sitting like that. She didn't say a word, but only hugged me tightly. I could have stayed like this forever, but unfortunately the slight ringing in my ears told me that wasn't going to happen. _'Take a look to your right.'_

Complying with the voice before I even knew what to expect, Julian was standing with everyone else a few feet away. They all had proud faces like they were at their child's graduation, and I was too spent to even freak out that they had been watching me. My muscles wouldn't respond to the panicked signals that were firing off.

"Lei's Sweet Scent." Katie smiled, blades of grass tangled in her messy strawberry-blonde hair. "She can't help but release it whenever she's close to an orgasm, so we all finished up and hurried over to see."

"Are you really all that interesting in my sexual endeavours?" I murmured, cradling Katie's Pokémon like it was my own. I felt so comfortable that I wasn't even pulling up my jeans. They could stare at me if they wanted since we were in some sort of workplace where boundaries didn't even begin to matter anymore.

"Since it was your first time, we thought it was necessary to see what you're made of." Brandon flashed me a lazy smile, and for the first time I saw a glint of something that wasn't anything other than kindness in his eyes. He had decided to just not put his shirt back on, and left his dungarees dangling by his waist. If I hadn't just finished, that sight probably would have breathed some vigour into me.

"I was impressed with how long you lasted, honestly." Hannah complimented through the lollipop in her mouth. It seemed like an oddly specific habit to crave sugar on a stick after getting off, but Hannah seemed like just the type to have a strange ritual like that. I wondered where she kept her supply.

"Since I'm the only vaguely responsible one here, I'd like to remind you that our break ended about ten sweaty minutes ago." Julian noted, clearly not all that annoyed that the tail-end of our break was spent romping around in the grass but still mildly concerned.

With that, we all hurried back to the lodge to clean up and make ourselves look like we hadn't just been having sex with our Pokémon. Not that Thomas would have minded very much, but we didn't want to be working half-dressed and covered in fluids. Leilana gave my leg a shy hug as Katie returned her to her Pokéball, something that made my heart almost give in from how cute it was.

.-.-.-.-.-.

I decided to go on a walk after everyone had went off to work. I still wasn't exactly sure how I would go about interviewing and forging all these bonds with the ranch Pokémon, but I needed to clear my head and process what I had just done before I could even think about working.

Was I still a virgin? The semantics of that were iffy at best, and just plain confusing at worst. I had clearly had sex, but it wasn't with a member of my own species so the jury was still out on that verdict. But then again, I was the one that was advocating that Pokémon should just be treated like humans. I decided to just split it logically and say that I had lost my poképhile virginity. The humour that I had explored a massive kink without yet having sex with someone from my own species was not lost on me.

"Lost in thought, Alex?" I didn't even notice that I had ran into Katie and Julian, as she was standing right there in front of me. I was focusing on the ground in front of me, so I probably would have knocked straight into her if she hadn't spotted me. The Gallade was carrying a Tupperware box that was labelled 'Treats for water types only!' in messy handwriting.

I had no idea how she could work in the sun in a sweater all day, but I already knew that she didn't have a layer on underneath that. She must have liked extremely tight shorts that hugged at her waist, and she had a simple pair of black leggings on. She opted for a comfy shoes, something I admired.

"I've just been thinking about what I did with Leilana." I admitted honestly, feeling kind of guilty that I didn't consult Katie on whether I was allowed to take her or not. Julian may have given me permission, but it wasn't like he was the trainer.

"She said that it was the best time she's had in a while." She chuckled, giving me a reassuring smile. I had honestly noticed this now that she was out in the sun, but her face was dotted with tiny freckles, all across her cheeks and even on the bridge of her nose.

"He feels guilty about not asking you first." Julian clarified. He just loved to be straight to the point, and was probably better with my own thoughts and feelings than I was.

"Aww Alex…" She said, pulling me close into a tight hug. She still smelled faintly of grass after all the rolling around she had done. I wasn't complaining that I was getting a hug, but it seemed a little out of nowhere. She seemed like someone who gave out a lot of them. "It's not an issue at all. There's kind of an unofficial rule that everyone is fair game if they're up for it."

"So you're all basically in a giant open relationship?" I asked, sceptical if what she was saying was actually true. I doubted that she treated Brandon the same way as she did with Julian.

"Sexually speaking, yeah." She confirmed, breaking the hug off with a final squeeze. "Romantically, it's a bit more complicated. Nobody is getting more of my affection than Julian is, and I'm sure it's the same with Brandon and Indra. We've been together the longest, so it's only natural that we're 'partners.'"

"That's not to say that Indra is off limits in terms of sex, but if you start getting all lovey-dovey with him then Brandon would kick your face in." Julian warned, and the seriousness with which he said it made me certain that Brandon would go to that length to protect his starter, no matter how kind he may have been. "You'd be surprise how many orgies break out in the living room."

It was all happening so suddenly, being thrust into this world of depravity. It was like all the others were experts at this and I was still a novice, fumbling my way through the world of poképhilia. It made me wonder just how long they'd be doing this with their Pokémon, and if most trainers had given it a try once or twice. ' _She doesn't like me saying this out loud, so here will have to do, Katie basically threw herself on me as soon as she hit puberty.'_

"You're a good addition to our little group Alex, what you need now is to catch-" Before Katie could finish her sentence, we were interrupted by a strange cry coming from somewhere off in the distance. It didn't sound like a Pokémon play fighting, and even in my inexperience, I knew that it sounded like a declaration of panic and fear.

The three of us started running without a second thought, scared of the idea that one of the ranch inhabitants was in danger. Julian in particular, took off with such a speed that it looked like he was running on the air. He looked truly terrifying, arm blades splayed out behind him, slicing the very wind in half.

We arrived on the scene to find a dire situation. One of the two Lillipups that I had seen on the ranch earlier was sprawled out on the ground. Standing over it was something that I had never expected to find in Hoenn. A Sneasel had attacked the normal type, and was getting ready to dice up its prey with frigid, sharpened claws.

Before any of us could even blink, the dark type was sent careening backwards and Julian was no longer standing next to me. He was so fast that I honestly thought that I had blacked out for a few seconds and missed something. His gaze was fierce and unwavering, standing over the wounded Lillipup like a soldier.

' _Katie, Alex. Stand back, I'll take care of it. The Lillipup is not injured too badly.'_

What happened next was extremely hard to follow. The Sneasel dived toward Julian, letting loose an animalistic screech. It had to be a wild Pokémon as the translator wasn't able to pick up its speech. Thomas had explained earlier that a Pokémon could only be understood once it had been captured.

Julian dodged swiftly, his posture still locked into an aggressive riposte. Without any hesitation, he sprung after the Sneasel, catching it in the back with his strong arms and pulling it back before it could get any more distance.

Somehow, the Sneasel had anticipated this move and whirled around. It had already prepared an icy blast and struck Julian directly in the face. It was Ice Shard. Sub-zero fragments of ice dug their way into the Gallade's facial visor, making him howl in pain. Katie was panicked now.

"That Sneasel's too fast!" She cried, taking a few panicked steps forward to try and reach her partner. The pain on her face matched that of Julian's, almost like she had been struck by the attack as well. "He's at a disadvantage!"

Julian threw the wily ice type to the ground harshly, blinded by rage. His face was twisted into an expression of malice, and his arm blades began to glow with a dark red light. Stamping on the Sneasel's chest before it could get away, he let loose a flurry of slashes that were so rampant and rapid they sent gusts of wind in all directions, slicing the grass. I wasn't sure but that might have been Close Combat.

The Sneasel was bleeding now from various cuts on its body, but it still didn't give up. Julian was left open by his risky attack, and the Sneasel's large claws began to emanate a purple mist. The Gallade's eyes widened as the part-dark type was readying a super-effective move. He teleported a small distance away, leaving the Sneasel confused and enraged.

Katie's partner was breathing heavily. He had hoped to finish the Sneasel with his own super-effective move, but somehow it had managed to endure it. I assumed that he wanted to teleport even further away, but just didn't have the energy. The ranch intruder sped after Julian.

They repeated the same movements for a while. Sneasel would get close and Julian would warp away at the last moment, but there was no way he could keep up his defence in his tired state. The Sneasel must have noticed that his movements were getting slower, as it didn't even stop after he teleported.

Katie was frantically calling after Julian to no avail. She wouldn't dare get close to the fight, but the fact that she couldn't do anything to help was killing her. I had watched as she had left her purse at the lodge with the rest of her Pokéballs inside. She was no doubt beating herself up over that fact.

Watching the Gallade I had grown to have a love-hate relationship with struggle in the battle, something sparked inside me that I couldn't identify. I began to shake with something that wasn't fear or nervousness. He had been a presence in my mind, always making snide comments but providing advice when I really needed it. He didn't have to do anything that he did, and even if he acted like he didn't care, I knew he did. It was my turn to help a friend out.

My legs moved on their own. I could hear Katie shouting after me, but I didn't really understand anything that she was saying. My heartbeat was loud in my ears, and I knew that it was the only the adrenaline that was pushing me forward. I was screaming at myself to turn back as well, but my body had other plans.

"Hey, Sneasel!" I bawled, as loud as I could, to get the bastard's attention. I just needed to create a small opening for Julian. He was fighting a battle of speed that he couldn't win, so he just needed the opportunity to catch the ice type off guard. I would be that opportunity for him.

Julian's look of shock as he noticed what I was doing only flashed across his face for a split second, quickly being replaced by an expression of stoic resolve. The Sneasel on the other hand, took the bait and focused its attention on me. A wild Pokémon had no quarrels about attacking a weak human, I knew that. But I was counting on Julian to protect me. I just had to stand my ground.

 _'_ _You're a fucking idiot.'_ He projected, but there was no time to provide a witty reply. The Sneasel was already readying a Night Slash. I felt like my knees were about to give out or I was about to wet myself from the sheer fear, but I didn't move. It was either because I was being incredibly brave or I had frozen in response to the stress. Maybe a mix of both.

The next couple of seconds played for me in slow-motion. I had no idea that the human mind was capable of this, but apparently it was only saved from situations where you were close to death. The Sneasel hurtled forwards, fangs bared and claws ready while Julian was veiled in a pink light.

He teleported right in front of me, kicking me backwards onto my ass. I grunted in pain but watched as he readied an attack that I didn't know. His blades were basked in a silver sheen and were so bright that I couldn't look directly at them. The Sneasel didn't even realise that its target was no longer a human, as it was too consumed with blood-lust.

 _'_ _I'll pay you back for this.'_

"Aerial Ace!" Julian yelled as he unleashed his attack, striking the Sneasel squarely in the jaw with one of his blades. Before the impact even landed, he had already swung the other arm, catching the unlucky dark type in the side with another blade. There was a small yelp of pain as the Sneasel was shot across the field, roughly falling and tumbling through the grass. It stayed there, not moving save for a few twitches.

As soon as all the commotion died down and the adrenaline had run out, I felt incredibly weak and it was like the entire world was spinning around me. I could barely make out the figures of Julian and Katie kneeling over me, and everything was completely silent. I didn't know why I had just risked my life to save a Pokémon that I had only met a couple days ago, but amidst the confusing scene before me I felt prideful of my actions. I could feel my lips curve into a small smile.

Soon enough, I felt my eyelids become as heavy as sandbags and there was nothing but black.


	5. Wren

**First Guest –** That's a good point, and I'm thankful that you brought up something that I just kind of brushed over when we first met him. I'm planning for their relationship to develop a little in this chapter, so I'll flesh out his abilities as best I can. To be honest, it's a little difficult working with a character who has weird psychic abilities, but it's what I signed up for. I'll set some limits as to what he can do so it doesn't get too crazy.

 **Second Guest** – I have no issues with a sub male Houndoom, but it'll probably be a little in the future once Alex settles down into the ranch life.

Just a note to everyone, I'll only be replying to any comments that are posed as actual questions. I've been reading all of your reviews, but I don't want this section before the chapter to be too long-winded each time. Any requests for what you'd like to see have been read and noted, but feel free to PM me if you want to have a little back-and-forth, it means you don't have to wait for the next chapter for a reply! This doesn't mean you can't ask a question in the reviews, but it'll take some time for a reply to reach you.

This story has been getting a lot of attention and I couldn't be happier! Thanks for reading! I have much more stuff in store, especially after Alex gets used to the ranch. ;)

* * *

' _C'mon Alex, you can't stay asleep forever… you've still got work to do, buddy.'_

I found myself lying uncomfortably on the lodge's couch. It was strange that most of the events that happened in here revolved around it, and I hadn't even been in any of the other rooms. This couch had seen a lot of action, no doubt.

More importantly, Julian had pulled up one of the chairs from the kitchen and was sitting next to me. His green visor was all beaten up and splotches of purple were specked across both his arms. He had taken more of a beating in that fight than I had realised. Despite his exhausted appearance, he had a curved smile and gentle eyes as he watched me come to my senses.

"How… long have I been out?" I asked, rubbing my temples painfully. I had a killer headache, and gladly accepted the painkillers that my saviour handed to me. The water I sipped at stung my throat on its way down, but it was better than taking them dry.

"Only about an hour. The others got back to work once I said that I would stay here with you. You're going to be getting a speech about how stupid you were from each one of them, so prepare yourself for that." He answered, sitting in a relaxed posture that I had never seen from him. His legs were casually spread apart as he leaned one arm on the back of the chair. Much different from the Gallade who stood like he had a stick up his ass.

"Let me guess, I'm getting one from you as well." I winced, remembering what I had actually done only an hour prior. The look in that Sneasel's eyes was still imprinted on my mind and I doubted that it would go away any time soon.

"Well, things would have gone much differently if you hadn't intervened, so I can't really be that angry with you." He began with a pained scowl, his eyes focused solely on the wooden floor in front of him. "I should have been able to win that fight easily, but that Sneasel was way too experienced for just a wild Pokémon."

"You were at a type disadvantage, but you were still brave enough to spring into action before Katie or I could say any differently." I reminded, placing a trembling hand on his lithe shoulder. It hurt to see such a look on the strong Gallade's face when I was so used to seeing a smirk or no expression at all. "Katie must be glad to have you by her side."

He looked back at me with a weak smile. For the first time, I was beginning to understand what the vague psychic type's personality was. He had exceptional skill, but that came at the cost of being incredibly harsh on himself whenever he couldn't live up to his own expectations. He didn't want anyone else to feel burdened, and fought to carry it all on his own back.

"Usually I'm the one analysing people. It feels weird to be on the other end of it."

"I'm not wrong though… am I?" I questioned carefully, not wanting to upset Julian any further or cause him more stress. He was already beating himself up about what had happened, he didn't need me trying to figure out his flaws and bringing attention to them.

"No, you're right." He nodded slowly, eyes closed in acceptance. "Things worked out in the end, and that's all that really matters. It would have gone better if my psychic abilities could affect that Sneasel, so I could tell what he was thinking and act accordingly, but that wasn't an option. Dark types are just the bane of us psychics."

"Just how far can your abilities go?" I questioned, realising that I had never given his skills much thought. Most psychic Pokémon had the power to get inside the minds of others, but I didn't know the true extent of what they could accomplish.

"I can't control other people and make them my mind slaves." He laughed, looking grateful that I was able to put a grin back on his face. "I would always explain it to Katie like reading a book as it was being written by someone else. You can see the events in the present, as they're happening, and you can even look back at a person's history. But you can never influence the outcome of the book, you can never look at what the 'next chapter' of someone's life is until it has been written."

"So you're just like a bystander in the head of someone else… not able to directly interact with it at all…" I pondered, my mind still a little foggy from just waking up. It was fascinating that they possessed such abilities, and Julian seemed to be especially well-trained with inhabiting the headspaces of other people.

"Most psychic types can only do this in short bursts, and they have to be close to the person to be able to read into their histories and see through their eyes."

"You seem to stay in my head whether I want you to or not… even when we're not even in the same building." I groaned, thinking back to the 'porn incident' that he must have seen in its entirety. Technically, he must have been the first guy to have ever seen under my belt.

"I don't know how well I can explain this, but my species has an inherent skill in sensing the emotions of others. My psychic abilities do drop off after a certain distance, but this skill that my evolution line has is special. Once we have met a person, we can often feel the emotions that they feel… whenever we want."

I was aware that his species were especially good with understanding the emotional stability of other people, and I imagined that this skill only grew in power when they were fully evolved. Generally, a Gardevoir would be better at this than a Gallade, so it was scary thinking about someone who had a greater grasp on emotions than Julian.

"So you couldn't see what I was doing, but you could feel what I was feeling?" I clarified, somewhat glad that he didn't actually catch me in the act. Now he was tied with Brandon for being the first guy to see what I was packing.

"Exactly. I felt the rush of serotonin and oxytocin when you ejaculated, and then the less scientific emotion of guilt soon after."

"That's fucking crazy." I whispered, watching the prideful smile that Julian adopted at my amazement. "So you basically guessed that I had just jacked off to poképhilia."

"Essentially, yes. It was a well-informed shot in the dark. Once I had projected my little comment before you went to sleep, it confirmed it."

I was extremely thankful that a guy like this was on my side now, as I pitied anyone who ever crossed Julian and made an enemy of him. He could mentally toy with you to his heart's content and you could do little to stop it, aside from being a Dark type. He'd also sense your emotions and know exactly how you were feeling, adding some sort of sadistic twist to the whole equation.

"Now, moving onto more important matters, Thomas wanted me to give you this." Julian said, picking up a Pokéball and fidgeting with it. It was kind of ironic to see a Pokémon handling a machine that was used for capturing Pokémon but my amusement was quickly overshadowed by the surprise that followed.

"Why?" I wondered. It wasn't like I had expressed any interest in catching my own Pokémon, not yet at least. "What's inside it?"

Julian's face changed. It looked like he was gritting his teeth in anger, and his grip was so tight on the ball that his green knuckles were turning white. His eyes flashed in the same malice that I had seen earlier before he took a breath to compose himself.

"It's the Sneasel from earlier." He spat, looking at the ball with so much disdain that I thought it was going to be set aflame. "I have no clue why Thomas thought this was a good idea, but he wanted you to try and talk to the Sneasel to see what his reasons were for breaking into the ranch."

I doubted that Julian was joking with his disgusted expression and it did sound suitably insane to be an idea from Thomas. Maybe this was his way to see whether I really was worth keeping around. He wanted to see how well I could handle a Pokémon that would be inevitably tough to talk with.

"He said that if you could handle this Sneasel, then there was nothing you couldn't take on." Julien grumbled, clearly unhappy that his boss was even giving the Sneasel a chance after what he had tried to do. "He spouted a bunch of trite about this asshole maybe having a good reason for attacking that Lillipup, and that you could get through to him."

"Julian… calm down." I said, raising my hands up instinctively to stop him from doing something rash. I wouldn't put it past the Gallade to just open up that Pokéball and slice the Sneasel in two. "You don't have to worry about any of this, I'll take care of it."

"Just call me if this fuck gives you any trouble." He promised, tossing the Pokéball to me, clearly glad to get it out of his hands. "I need to get back to Katie."

"Thank you, Julian, for staying with me." I smiled, feeling that familiar flush of warmth flood into my cheeks.

His sour expression immediately reverted as he looked into my eyes. He awkwardly shifted position in his chair so much that I thought he was going to fall off of it. He was trying so hard to keep up the appearance of a composed fighter, but even receiving some thanks made him squirm. Recovering coolly, he averted his gaze and cleared his throat.

"Uh… yeah, it was my fault that you ended up like that, so y'know…"

Before I could even offer a reply, he was enveloped by a flash of pink light and was gone from the chair. His hasty retreat left me alone in the lodge, and I had no idea how I was going to deal with the Sneasel. Thinking back to my school days, I remembered a lecture that we were given on Dark types in general.

Most Dark types were just born bad. There was no other good way to put it. Obviously, this didn't apply to all of them but it was a strong theme running through the type. They were designed to be crafty, speedy and lacking in remorse for things that they did. If they did manage to develop a good personality, then they would still be tricksters who enjoyed messing with people for their benefit. Intelligence and ruthlessness was a potent combination to have, so Dark types were highly valued in underground fighting rings where they could unleash their full potential.

If I remembered correctly, Sneasels were infamous for stealing and consuming any eggs that they came across. I just thanked Arceus that it didn't come across the incubation shed, as seeing Hannah standing over a pile of eggshells was an image that I didn't ever want to think about again. Breeders in other regions would call them a scourge. It was rare to see one openly attack its prey with witnesses around, so maybe this Sneasel was more aggressive than sneaky?

They were also notorious pack fighters, often forming small gangs that they could use to overwhelm their enemies. It was rare to see one all alone, especially highlighted by the fact that Sneasels weren't native to Hoenn. The only explanation for its appearance was that it had been brought over by a trainer and abandoned. Damn, I would be dealing with quite the damaged Pokémon if that were the case.

That was about as far as my knowledge took me. The rest I would have to discover by somehow interviewing the Pokémon that had almost taken my life. Since Thomas had captured it, it meant that the translator would be able to convert its speech and more importantly, it wouldn't be able to harm whoever was in possession of its Pokéball. That was a whole other ethical debate, but I was thankful that I wouldn't be cut into tiny pieces immediately.

I sat with the Pokéball in my hands for what felt like hours. I wasn't experienced in dealing with conflict, and this Sneasel would definitely have some choice words to say about Julian and me. The possible outcomes of our encounter played in my head countless times as I tried to think of the best way to go about all of this. The lump in my throat reminded me of when ever I was forced to give a presentation to my classmates at school, and that hot feeling of shame and nervousness made me feel like I was twelve again.

Grow a pair, Alex. Thomas left this Sneasel with you for a reason. This is why you're being employed at the ranch in the first place. What's the point of even being here if you're not going to do the job you're being paid for? Swallow your fear like you've done countless times and go outside.

.-.-.-.-.-.

"Unhand me, you wretch. You have no right to lay your hands on me!"

As soon as I had released the Sneasel from the Pokéball, I was being berated on a level that I had never expected. I had thought that he would growl and spit at me instead of using old-fashioned insults. I had never even heard the word 'wretch' uttered by a human, let alone a Pokémon. His voice was dripping with venom with the perfect intonation placed on every word. I had no clue how he had learned to speak in such a way.

We were standing in the back garden, and I had foolishly tried to grab the Sneasel as soon as he looked like he was about to take off for the trees. He was squirming, slinging a flurry of profound insults at me like he was in a dramatic Shakespeare production.

"How dare you imprison me in that irksome contraption! You deserve to be thrown to a pack of Mightyena!" He raged, wriggling free from my panicked grasp. His furry body was cold to the touch, and made me shiver intensely. His claws weren't protruding and his fangs weren't bared, but even still I felt like I was playing with fire. He couldn't hurt me while I held his ball, but I could feel his violent intent.

Grimacing in front of me, I finally got a good look at the devil. His dark blue body was still fresh with cuts and the red feather protruding from his head was ripped and frayed. He looked extremely scruffy, covered in muck and dead leaves. Even the yellow, oval markings on his chest and forehead were dull and muted. His eyes were wild with rage as he glared daggers at me. He reminded me of Katie's Zangoose, but this Pokémon didn't have the battle scars to prove his dominance. In all honesty, he looked like he must have been the runt of the litter.

"Hey, hey!" I yelled, thinking that I would get nowhere just by gently talking with this eccentric Sneasel. "I wasn't the one who captured you in the first place, I'm just here to talk to you!"

"Hold your tongue, cur!" He snarled, finally baring his chipped fangs at me. "I would rather that asinine Gallade ended my life so that I would not have to endure the never-ending torment by another human!"

"Another human?" I parroted, watching as the Sneasel's bravado faltered at the realisation of the information that he had given away. "I've never seen a Sneasel such as yourself in Hoenn, did you used to belong to someone?"

"I don't have an obligation to disclose anything with you." He declared, brandishing a clawed hand in my face. His expression of anger had subtly morphed into pain, something I was quick to take notice of.

"You don't, but I'm here to try and help you." I said in the most non-threatening voice I could muster. I was quickly losing hope that the Sneasel would even give me the time of day, but I had no other option than to try and move the conversation forward. "Do you have a name?"

"Previously, yes." He sneered. "Not much use for them when you're surrounded by brain-dead savages who don't know their right paw from their left."

He didn't consider himself a wild Pokémon. He hadn't joined back into the natural world from which he came, but still viewed himself as a 'learned' Pokémon. He had most likely been trying to survive on his own, and was getting desperate for food. It must have been difficult for him, left in a region that he didn't know, and had no other options but to fend for himself.

"Do you mind telling me what it was?" I asked, offering him a peaceful smile. He seemed taken aback that I was showing an interest in his past. He must not have had another soul to talk to for the whole time he had been released. "It would help if I had something I could refer to you with."

"Wren." He muttered. "That was the name my 'master' gave me."

He was beginning to calm down. He was still warily shifting from foot to foot, ready to pounce away at any moment but was no longer in an aggressive stance. He looked almost pitiable, and I wasn't seeing a fierce Pokémon who broke into the ranch for his own cruel pleasure, but a Sneasel struck by misfortune who was doing what he needed to in order to get by. He was probably starving, and most likely any other Pokémon would do what he did.

"Wren's a nice name." I complimented, watching his displeasure as the name left my lips. I thought that maybe it carried some unsavoury memories, but if he was willing to still keep his name, then it showed he had some attachment to who he once was. "I'm Alex."

"I do not need your patronisation." He scolded, but I could have sworn there were the beginnings of a smile among all of the angst.

"Do you know that the Pokémon you attacked is under our care here?" I asked, trying to balance a more accusatory tone with the polite one from earlier. No matter which way you put it, he was guilty of harming one of the ranch Pokémon.

"This is an establishment that treats Pokémon as a commodity to be traded, is it not?" He snapped with a question of his own. "I saw no harm in taking one of your livestock for myself, after all, it would just be replaced in a heartbeat."

That struck a nerve with me. While those places certainly existed, and the ranch could only stay afloat due to the profits that the Pokémon made, the whole reason I had agreed to work here was that everyone cared for the Pokémon they were breeding.

"No, actually. While we do breed Pokémon to give to trainers, the employees here at the ranch all care a great deal about them. The Lillipup you attacked is likely being treated right now, because we are actually concerned about what happens to them, not just the profits they can make."

Wren's eyes tightened sceptically. He was sizing me up, seeing whether my words were true or not. I understood that I had shown no evidence, and there was no reason I really could because I wasn't a trainer. If only Brandon or Katie were here to show that they loved their Pokémon a great deal. Then it hit me, I had proved that I cared for them, just not in a traditional way.

"Would I have risked my life to defend 'that Gallade' if I didn't care about Pokémon?" I asked, looking him dead in the eyes. His almond-shaped black pupils widened, obscuring his blood-red irises somewhat. "I'm not a trainer, but that Gallade is my friend, so I did all that I could to make sure that he didn't lose that battle against you."

"That is quite curious." He pondered, bringing a clawed hand to scratch at his chin like he was Sherlock Holmes. "I have never encountered one of your kind who displayed such willingness to sacrifice themselves for another."

"He's not even my Pokémon, but is the soulmate of one of the workers here. His name is _Julian_ , and we treat him like one of us." I explained, watching Wren's face carefully. The sceptical look had settled a little but he was still eyeing me. I felt like I was a guilty prisoner trying to explain his case to a judge, which is really what the Sneasel should have been doing right now. He was the guilty one.

"Very well. You have proved that you can show some semblance of compassion for us. I assume you're going to cast me aside somewhere remote now that you have interrogated me?" He goaded, the sharp venom returning to his voice. Well, at least we had a rational talk for a couple minutes.

"No, actually." I answered, getting somewhat sick of his attitude. Even if I did pity him, the way he judged others rubbed me the wrong way. I was giving him a fair chance to defend himself, so he should have shown me the same courtesy. "I just have a last couple questions, tell me honestly, did you attack that Lillipup because you had no other choice? Because you were starving and desperate?"

He recoiled slightly at the question, and I couldn't help but show a little smirk as I had cracked him. This Sneasel seemed to be mostly hot air, even if he did do a number on Julian, and didn't strike me as the type of person who would do that for no reason. We had just quickly assumed that he was a wild Pokémon, too far gone to reason with, and Julian still held the belief that it was pointless to even try. But even in this short conversation, I was starting to see a Pokémon who had been dealt a bad hand, and was doing what he needed to out of necessity.

"You have no… idea how much I have suffered out in the wilds." Wren finally admitted, his chest beginning to heave and his shoulders slackening. I immediately felt bad for letting a little smirk show, as now that I had broken down his wall, he seemed even more pitiable. "I attempted, for as long as I could, to prevent myself from devolving into the savages that I despise so much."

The floodgates had opened. What was once a Sneasel who had his chest puffed out, looking like he was ready to take on any who opposed him, was now a deflated husk. He was shaking uncontrollably, like a Snorunt. There was a completely different Pokémon standing in front of me. His eyes looked tired.

"You do not have a clue what it is like… to be h-hungry in such a manner." Even when he was emotionally breaking down, he still tried to keep up the proper enunciation in every word. "I lost myself in it… I was willing to go through any lengths to satisfy the excruciating void in my stomach."

My hunch was correct, but I didn't feel any ounce of pride about that fact. This Sneasel must have went from a relatively stable life, under the care of a trainer, before he was abandoned in an unfamiliar region. Despite how much recklessness he displayed in the fight against Julian, it wasn't who he really was. He was driven by the desire to eat. Almost driven to madness by hunger.

"… you still haven't eaten." I whispered, watching the tears flow freely from Wren's eyes, matting the dirty fur even further to his face. He had been bottling up his feelings for all this time, but even worse, he had been having this conversation in the same hunger that he was feeling when fighting Julian. No wonder he was so furious at the start of our talk.

"Please… I do not want to feel like this anymore…" He sobbed, falling to the grass. He exhaled with such force and inhaled so brokenly I couldn't help but tear up just watching him. My heart felt for this Sneasel. We had all thought wrongly of him.

And so, I scooped up the incapacitated Sneasel in my arms. He was either too weak or too wracked with emotion to resist any more, and while I could have just returned him to the Pokéball, I felt that it was being a little cruel. He was light, frighteningly so. With no further objections from him, I set off to find someone who could help me. I wasn't tackling this on my own.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Eventually, I found Hannah who looked understandably terrified that I had the Sneasel in my clutches. Even more so that I was awake probably. I was thankful that it was her that I ran into, because she was the most likely to not judge Wren for his previous actions. I couldn't imagine the problems I would have if I had found a lonesome Julian with the one responsible for his injuries sobbing in my arms.

She immediately helped me locate the Pokémon food, and without any hesitation poured a massive bowl of pellets made specifically for any Pokémon who were weak from hunger. It apparently had tons of nutrients that would make their strength return quicker, and I was eternally grateful that she actually knew how to do her job. I made a mental note to get myself accustomed to these sorts of things. You never knew when they would come in handy.

After he had calmed down enough to speak again, Wren said that he didn't want us watching him eat, so we waited outside the storeroom for all the Pokémon food until he had finished. I could only imagine how ravenously he was stuffing his face, as he'd likely not eaten for days. Hannah was almost as torn up as I was when I told her about his situation, and we just stood in sombre silence when the explanation was over.

Thomas seemed to know everything. I didn't want to think about what would have happened if he sent the Sneasel away into the wild instead of catching him, and it really showed the compassion he had for any and all Pokémon. While we had just assumed that Wren was a delinquent Pokémon who had broken into the ranch to cause havoc, Thomas saw what he could have been.

"Tom won't take him in. He hasn't added a member to his team in a couple of years." Hannah sighed, finally breaking the depressing silence that had fallen over us. "If Wren wants to stay with any of us, it would be you, Alex."

It was not surprising that Thomas had hung up his trainer hat. It looked like his days of adventuring had ended. He was focusing on building up the business as best he could, and didn't have time to take in any more Pokémon. He hadn't caught Wren with the intention of keeping him, but was wanting one of us to become his new trainer.

"Do you really think I'd be able to handle owning a Pokémon?" I asked, knowing that Hannah must have had tons of experience in caring for them. It wouldn't surprise me if her collection surpassed Katie and she had a full team.

"Well, so far you've managed to befriend a Sneasel who was attacking a ranch Pokémon not too long ago." She noted, her hands placed firmly on her hips. The jeans that I had seen her in this morning were dirtied now, and there were small rips in her tank top. She looked more like a ranch worker than she ever had. "More qualified than most beginners."

Even though I had done my job and figured out his true intentions, I was hesitant to take him in. I was planning to take the Swablu as my first Pokémon, as having a baby Pokémon who was already enamoured with me seemed like the best option for a starter. But now that I had seen what Wren had went through, I couldn't deny that I wasn't invested in what happened to him. Would he really choose to stay with me?

He couldn't go back to the wild now. He could either stay at the ranch as a permanent resident or join someone, either way it would be leagues better than what he had endured. Hannah seemed adamant that he would want to join me, but I wasn't all too convinced. Just because I had showed him kindness didn't mean that he was obligated to join my team.

Whatever happened, I wasn't going to force him to do anything. It was his own life, so he could choose whichever path he wanted. Devoting yourself to a trainer was a big commitment, and it would be understandable if he was too hurt to join someone again. I didn't get the details of the past trainer he had, but judging from the sound of things, Wren was likely tossed to the side of the road.

The door slowly creaked back open, causing the both of us to jump, it seemed like we were both lost in thought. Wren strode toward the light, looking much more exuberant than before. He wasn't weakly shaking anymore, so I took that as a sign that everything went well. It would be awful if he was too ill to eat, but the crumbs that clung to the matted fur across his chest told me that I didn't have to worry.

"You have… my thanks, pink woman." He offered, clearly uncomfortable with showing such courtesy. Even spending weeks lost in the wilds wasn't an excuse for this Sneasel to lose his manners, apparently. My dark type hypothesis was already showing cracks.

"Don't mention it, Wren." She responded, eyebrows subtly furrowed in displeasure at the moniker he had given her. I doubted that the Sneasel had ever seen pink hair, so she really should have seen it coming. "If you ever need anything else while you're here, just ask."

"Alex, I apologise if I may have upset you back there…" He began, awash with guilt as he turned to face me. He looked ashamed that he had dared let himself cry in front of me. "It was not my intention, however… things just became too much."

"As long as you're feeling better now." I smiled, kneeling down and brushing all of the stray pellets from his front with my hands. He squirmed at all the contact, but when I expected him to lash out at me for touching him again, he stayed quiet. "What's more important now is what you want to do from here."

He looked unsure, his eyes focused on the sky instead of me or Hannah. They glistened with remembrance, likely from the days when he was under the care of a Trainer. We would need to talk about it sooner or later, but he had already been through enough today. He wouldn't likely tell me about it until he was more comfortable with it himself. Finally, after a minute of thinking, he took a deep breath and looked back at us.

"I do not want to make a serious decision for the moment." He said logically, and I couldn't really blame him. It was better to wait and see how things turned out before he did anything else. "If it is not too much trouble, I would like to stay at this establishment for the time being."

"That's something you'd need to take up with our boss, the one who captured you, but he's not the type of man to say no to a Pokémon in need." Hannah explained, kneeling down to come eye-to-eye with the hesitant Dark type. "I'm sure Alex needs to speak with the other workers, so if you don't mind being returned to your Pokéball, I can take you to speak with him."

Wren peered over at me. It was true that I hadn't spoken with Katie or Brandon about what had happened, and I was sure that they were worrying about me. Hannah was doing me a favour by taking him in my stead. She also knew Thomas better than I did and I trusted her to take good care of the odd Sneasel I had become attached to.

"Hannah knows what she's doing, Wren." I said, while handing her the Pokéball. "You can always come and see me after you're done talking."

"Very well, you may return me." He affirmed, glaring at the sphere in Hannah's hands. It made me think that he would be one of the Pokémon who enjoyed being outside with their trainer than cooped up in their bag or pocket.

With a flash of crimson light, the Sneasel who had been standing in front of me vanished. It felt like I could finally breathe, and I let out a laboured sigh as I fell backwards onto the grass. Hannah joined me, clicking the ball onto her belt and lying somewhere beside me. The clouds obscured the sun high in the sky, but it was slowly descending down. The day had been incredibly long, much like Thomas had said, and it was nice to see that it was winding down to a close.

"I can take him to see Thomas after we catch up a little more." She said, and even though she had slept for a couple hours, she probably couldn't wait for the day to end either. She must have not been able to talk to the others very much with her odd hours of working.

"Y'know Alex, when I first saw you checking out my ass yesterday, I thought you were just going to be like every schmuck I've worked with." She began, and I hoped that she was looking up at the sky like I was just so she wouldn't able to see my face turn red. "Watching you with Swablu, and now with Wren, it's made me realise that you're not like most people I've met."

"How so?" I queried, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. I didn't know what was scarier, the fact that she knew I was staring at her butt yesterday, or how comfortable she was with it.

"My past with guys hasn't been the brightest." She sighed, making me turn over to face her. She was lounging with her arms behind her head, but even though her posture was relaxed, I noticed something else there. She was hesitating. "You've probably noticed my whole get-up. I don't know whether it's the crazy hair colours or the tattoos, but apparently, I look like a slut to most dudes."

It was true that she did stand out, and your eyes would probably be drawn to her if she was just milling around in a crowd. She was vibrant, the small tattoos making it seem like she didn't take things too seriously. Even when I first saw her, she was so laid-back that I wasn't sure if she was joking or not. Now though, I could see that she did have some issues with herself.

"I _am_ pretty easy, but that's only with people who I consider worthy." She said, picking the small bits of cotton wing-fragments that were still clinging to her tank top. "They basically think that they can walk all over me, because hey, I'm just some kid with pink hair and Butterfree tattoos. I've seen the way they look at me… it's almost patronising, calling me things like 'doll' or 'gal.'"

"If anything, you're more capable than most other women your age." I complimented. She had spent hours just patiently waiting for an egg to hatch, even though she didn't need to. She wanted everything to go smoothly for the Swablu, putting herself at an inconvenience.

"Right?" She exclaimed, raising her eyebrows and gesturing up to the clouds. "That's what I like about you, Alex. You look past appearances and give people a chance to show their true colours, no matter what they look like. You didn't have to sit down and keep me company in the shed, but you did."

"People are free to dress and look the way they want to." I stated, watching a particular cloud that looked like a Ditto float by slowly. "If a guy treats you like that just because of the way you choose to present yourself, then he doesn't deserve you."

"Damn, I thought you'd only be good at cheering up Pokémon, but it works on people as well." She smirked, scooting closer to me. It was the first time that I could see how genuinely pleasing she was to be around and underneath all the tattoos which made her seem like a punk, there was a sweet woman who knew how to handle herself.

"I don't know where I got it from." I breathed, utterly dumbfounded at how calm I was being. I had spent the last year just watching anime and playing videogames, with barely any social interaction whatsoever. Maybe all that slice-of-life was paying off.

"You've earned my number, at least." She chuckled, extending an empty hand. Ignoring the fireworks going off in my head, I handed my cracked phone over and watched her swiftly tap in the digits. "Not only as a co-worker, but whatever you'd call a ring of poképhiles who hook up with each other."

"You mean like…?" I gawked, watching a sly smile spread across her lips. I must have died and went to heaven. It was strange that heaven was a breeding ranch. Would that make Thomas the god?

Before I could stupidly follow that tangent, there was a warm feeling on my cheek. Hannah had planted a small peck while I was lost in thought, and I could barely register the fact that she had kissed me. Funnily enough, it was the first time that I had noticed the tattoo she had next to her right collarbone. It was a pair of red lips.

"Of course! The Pokémon aren't the only ones who get all the fun." She giggled, clearly enjoying how much she had caught me off guard. "Brandon thinks girls are icky, so I've been wanting someone here for a while that's not a chick."

"I'm glad I can fill that spot for you." I laughed, faking a small bow to the girl I had somehow impressed. If only the people from high school could see me now, well, without the whole poképhilia part of it.

"I think we've already had enough rolling around in the grass for today, so I'll go take Wren to the boss." She strained, standing up shakily and dusting herself off. I could only imagine how stiff she could get after a day of walking through all of the ranch's climates. "You should probably go tell the others you're not dead."

"Got it." I nodded, bracing myself for the worried hug I would inevitably receive from Katie. Brandon would probably fawn over me like I was his injured child, which to be honest I wasn't opposed to. What had I turned into? "Thanks, Hannah."

"Catch you later, kiddo." She grinned, flouncing around and walking away from me. She was obviously putting a little more swing into her hips, sticking her butt outwards in attempt to draw my eyes in. I was about to comment on how that wouldn't work, but was cut off by my own libido shoulder-checking me into submission. She wins this round.

.-.-.-.-.-.

"Ohmygod Alex, I've been looking everywhere for you!" I was promptly pulled into a rib-crushing hug by Katie as I returned to the lodge. Her fluffy sweater was suffocating me, not to mention she had squeezed all of the air out of my lungs.

Before I was caught in a vice-grip by her, I saw a glimpse of Brandon and Julian looking exhausted and sprawled out in the living room. It could've been either of two things, they had wanted a quick fling after getting off their shifts, or they were exhausted after working. Either one was likely at this point.

Finally being released from my sweater prison, I got a better look of my surroundings. Everything looked much more relaxed than it was this morning. Brandon's work dungarees had been tossed onto the back of the couch, and they were remarkably replaced by a pair of sweatpants. Indra was snoozing under his feet which were propped up on the table, and the ornate fireplace that I didn't notice until now was roaring with life. Julian was even cradling a can of beer awkwardly in his hands.

"I told you that he was fine." Julian sighed, rubbing at his damaged visor with his free hand. Even though he was injured, he must have powered through to get the last of his shift done as soon as possible.

"I wanted to thank you, Alex." She said, ignoring the comment from her boyfriend. She looked somewhat conflicted as she fidgeted with a frayed string on her shorts. "What you did was really brave, and you protected Julian even when I was too scared to move."

"My legs just sorta moved on their own…" I admitted, watching as Brandon peered over at me worriedly. He was scratching at Indra's ear, who had now awoken from all of the commotion going on. "It was a stupid move, but I counted on Julian pulling through."

"Even still… you've already put yourself on the line for one us." She said, returning to her place beside the Gallade now that she had checked I was unharmed. Her short legs whipped around and hung themselves across his thighs as she snuggled into him.

"That stuff takes guts." Brandon smiled, patting at the empty space next to him for me to sit. I would take any opportunity I could get to be close to him, so I immediately collapsed on the couch as my feet felt like they were about to give out. "You made me worry, but you seem to be tougher than you look."

"Not how you imagined your first day of work going?" Julian asked with that familiar smarmy smile. Somehow, holding a can of beer made him seem even more human, like I was talking to a guy at a bar or a party. Granted, I had never been to one but I imagined this was similar.

"Yeah, I didn't actually read about the poképhilia and almost dying in the contract." I joked, watching as the Manetric eyed me warily. I imagined that if I put my arm over Brandon without his permission, I'd be receiving a nasty shock. "Must have been in the fine print."

Various laughs rung their way throughout the room, and I felt a sense of accomplishment that I hadn't felt in years. My first day of working here was drawing to a close, and it made the small moment we were sharing together in the cosy lodge that much more special. The only thing that would have made it better was Hannah's presence, but the lipstick she had likely left behind on my cheek was a good compromise.

"Welcome to the job." Katie winked, halfway through a yawn. Everyone's eyes were half closed, and they were just basking in the afterglow of a hard day's work.

It had felt like days since I had joined this place and I had to keep reminding myself that had all happened just in one day. I doubted that every day here would be this crazy and packed with drama, but somehow, I knew that they would probably be filled with even more poképhilia. If this is what these people were up to when they were still around someone new, I could only imagine what they would be like when they got comfortable around me.

I had no idea how much time had passed before everyone was getting ready to go home, and I was too tired to check up on Hannah to see how things went with Wren. There was no way that Thomas wouldn't allow him to stay, so I was confident that everything would turn out okay. When things were all wrapped up at the lodge, the sun was quickly beginning its descent downwards.

We were all walking out of the ranch together when I was reminded of what Hannah had done earlier. It wouldn't hurt to have Brandon and Katie's numbers, just in case something came up and I wasn't able to be at work on time or something. Oh, who was I kidding, it was to plan orgies outside of work. I felt better about myself if I framed it as entirely professional.

"Oh yeah, gimme your numbers." I asked, sticking out my phone for whoever would take it from me first. I felt a bit embarrassed about my anime wallpaper as Brandon smiled softly as the phone lit up, but it's not like I was ashamed about what I liked. I just wished that the screen wasn't all beaten up. "For things that are entirely related to work, and nothing else."

Again, they all laughed with me. I felt like I was finally starting to come out of my shell, and the old me would have never attempted to make jokes around new people. They didn't even feel new, like I had known about them my entire life. Was this what it felt like to fit into a group of friends?

After all was said and done, Brandon and Katie went their separate ways as we began the walk into Lilycove. I was left alone, maybe with Julian reading my emotions to see if I was going to make the same mistake as last night, but as alone as I could be.

I was going to enjoy working here, even if it would involve a lot of effort and time. I was starting to understand the whole 'nothing worth having comes easy' thing. I felt like I had finally opened a door that had been closed my entire life, and my heartbeat quickened about all the opportunities would come in the future.

As I turned the door handle to enter my house, I thought about Wren and the Swablu. They would eventually be Pokémon under my care. I would need to go apply for a trainer's license and make some room for two other living beings that would be staying in my room. I could mull over all of that later, as I was making a beeline toward my bedroom. Scooping up some leftover pizza that my brother had ordered off the kitchen counter, I was too lazy to make a proper meal.

Flopping onto my bed and opening up my phone, I looked over my contacts. Brandon, Katie, Hannah and Thomas joined the ranks of my mother and brother. I couldn't help but let a geeky smile show as I had made people not only that I considered co-workers, but actual friends.

I was an employee at Brooks' Breeding Service, and I would wear that badge with pride.


	6. Pokémon Whisperer

**someguy –** Yeah, I've read Solaceon and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't drawing at least some inspiration from it. I wanted to set up a story much in the same way he did, but in a more breeding-focused establishment than a daycare. I love Nidoran Duran's writing style, and I am by no means as skilled as he is, but I hope you can see that I'm going for a different feel than his fic. The last thing I want to do is rip off someone else's work.

 **TheRandom1** – As far as legendaries go, I don't think we'll be seeing them for a long time if at all. I think legendaries should be limited to just one per species, and that is what makes it unlikely for them to ever appear in this fic. You never know though, one day I might decide to have one show up!

Just a heads up, this chapter is really long. I wanted to get all of these relationships set up and it would feel wrong to split this whole thing up in any way. Since Alex is pretty much settled into the ranch by now, expect to see some more sex scenes from here on out. Remember, if you have suggestions for what Pokémon you want to see, leave a review or just PM me directly. Thanks for reading!

* * *

The next day, I walked to the ranch while whistling a jaunty tune and kicking any stray rocks that tried to obstruct my path. I didn't care that I was getting glances from any person that I walked past, it was their fault for not being as happy as I was. I had gotten plenty of rest and was ready to tackle anything that would come at me with a renewed flare. Even though the sun was still freshly awakened from its slumber, I could feel the heat it was giving off like a slap in the face. Hey, maybe I'd get to see Brandon working with his shirt off.

I was itching to talk to the Swablu now that I had the translator firmly clipped to my ear. It was extremely well-made as I had entirely forgotten it was even there, falling asleep with it still in. It looked sturdy enough that I was confident I didn't break it during the night. Hopefully Hannah would have the time to accompany me so that the Altaria wouldn't freak out too much.

Then there was Wren and Thomas. I had left yesterday assuming that their talk had went okay, but I wasn't expecting the Sneasel to be meandering around with the other ranch inhabitants like nothing had ever happened. He was probably skulking around the woods, not bothering to talk to anyone. He'd most likely seek me out once he got word that I was back.

Thomas himself was absent from his post at the welcome building, and it made me wonder what would happen if a random person wanted to see what the ranch had to offer and there was just nobody at the desk. He would benefit from some sort a secretary as it had to be tough trying to juggle everything by himself. He was probably off trying to win over some other businessmen into investing in the ranch.

It was exciting that I was starting my first proper day of work. Our wonderful boss never bothered to tell me how to go about things, but I assumed I'd be making my way through the ranch and meeting all of its inhabitants first. All of the Pokémon here had gotten accustomed to Katie and Brandon, but I was still basically a stranger to them. You had to start somewhere.

Before any of that though, I was dying to actually have a look around the lodge. It was annoying me that I had only seen the living room, because on the outside at least, the place looked massive. It would help to know where all of the bedrooms were, just in case I ever wanted to take someone – or multiple people – back there for a tussle in the sheets.

Coming to a stop at the front door, I found that it was locked. Was I the first one here this time? Hannah actually lived here, so maybe she locked the place up once everyone had left and she had the chance to get some sleep. Fishing my keyring which housed the keys and the nerdy keychains I had picked up over the years from my pocket, I guessed that the largest key Thomas had given me would unlock it.

Without anyone here to warm the place up but the sun, the lodge was pretty chilly. Everything was dark, making things much more ominous and foreboding than they had any right to be. It didn't help that I was trying to be quiet because disturbing Hannah from her erratic sleeping schedule was about the last thing on my list for stuff I wanted to do. Flicking the lights on, I finally had the place to myself for once.

The whole décor was very modern, with strange art that I didn't understand hung over the walls of the living room. It clashed with the rustic feel of the wooden floors and the fireplace, and it made me think that Thomas' knowledge of homemaking wasn't as good as his business skills. I ignored the couch and armchair that I was already entirely too familiar with and strode into the kitchen, almost tripping over the massive green rug that covered most of the room.

This room was much barer, being little more than a small table and counters. A worn coffee maker and microwave were much dirtier compared to the pristine cooking stove. At least I felt at home with a bunch of people who didn't have the drive to actually cook anything proper. Proving my point, the cupboards and fridge were filled with instant noodles and other such things that would decrease your life expectancy. There was a single apple sitting alone with a sticker saying 'JULIAN'S' plastered on it, however. At least he was getting one of his five-a-day.

I felt kind of nosy perusing through everything like this, but I would be adding to this mish-mash of appliances and food too. It felt like an apartment that belonged to a bunch of irresponsible teenagers, not a lodge where ranch workers took their breaks. I stuck the lunch that I had packed earlier this morning into the fridge and turned around to walk out of the small kitchen.

Hannah. Wrapped in a baby pink towel. Standing in front of me. She hadn't been asleep, and of course there would be a bath or shower in the lodge. Instead of screaming and running back to her room like how I imagined these things would usually go, she seductively leaned against the doorframe, blocking the only exit. Her hair was still dripping wet and her complexion matched the artificial pink colour. She was radiating shower steam.

"Night time is better for burglars, y'know, when people are asleep." She huffed, giving me a joking smile as she hiked the towel further up her chest. I could see the wet footprints that she left on the floor behind her, and I had to remind myself to not directly stare down at her milky-white, smooth legs.

"What if I wanted to get caught?" I smirked, somehow finding the courage to match her sultry demeanour. Just follow what you've seen in the countless fan-service anime, Alex. Okay, I was being pretty cringey, but when would I have another opportunity to have some banter with a wet girl only wearing a towel?

"Smooth." She whistled, removing herself from the doorframe and tip-toeing over to me. As she got closer, I could even feel the warmth emanating from her body. It made me want to jump back into my own shower, although I would've used hers at this point. "The nerdy _boy_ has some wit, after all."

The way she emphasised the word 'boy' made me swallow audibly. It was getting more and more difficult not to look down her towel, but she was basically standing in such a way that it was impossible. She was on another level of flirting than I was, that's for sure. A single droplet of water cascaded down her tattoo of the red lips, taunting me.

"It's a shame, if you were a few minutes earlier, you could've joined me." She whispered, delighting in how tense she was making the whole situation. I had forced my eyes away to focus on the much less sexy coffee maker, and although I wanted so badly to look back at her, this was too much even for the new-found Alex to handle.

"Y-yeah." I spluttered, the persona I was trying so hard to keep up faltering as quickly as it began. I was sure that my face was as red as hers, but not because I had just got out of a steamy shower. Hannah was quickly becoming more and more alluring, and it seemed like she realised that I had taken an interest in her.

"Relax, champ." She laughed, finally returning to her normal volume and tone. It creeped me out how quickly she could turn it on and off like that, and I was somewhat glad that the Hannah I knew had returned. "I'm not going to pull you into my bedroom just before we start working."

"It would be pretty unprofessional." I agreed, finally averting my gaze from the coffee maker and back to the pink-haired girl I was starting to carry a flame for. There was just something about her that I had never seen before from a woman, if anything she acted more like some of the guys I used to hang around with.

"Not that Brandon or Katie would mind, I guess." She turned around, showing me the myriad of tattoos she had around her neck. The way the towel hugged the curve of her lower back didn't help to bring me back to my senses, and I cleared my throat forcefully to get rid of the thoughts that were beginning to sprout in my head. "I'll be going to see Swablu, if you want to join once I'm ready."

"Sure." I nodded, thankful we had left that sultry situation behind us. For as much that my libido was celebrating, I wasn't sure that my body would allow me to work if she kept teasing me like that. "I'm curious what it'll be like with these translators."

"I haven't let Britney stretch her legs yet, so she'll probably be joining us." She said, retracing her soggy steps back into the living room. I felt like I could finally breathe now that there wasn't a naked co-worker dripping all over the place.

"Britney?" I repeated, sticking my head out of the kitchen doorframe. I had barely caught Hannah just about to turn the corner back into the hallway leading to her room, and I noticed that she had slackened the towel somewhat. Focus, Alex.

"My Lopunny." She clarified, giving me a sly smile before rounding the corner. I was left staring at the wet marks she had made on the light-green rug. I wondered if its sole purpose was to mop up the various fluids from my co-worker's escapades. "You saw me eating her out yesterday!"

From some of my, uh, research, I knew that most poképhiles would kill to have a Lopunny on their team. It was understandable, with their vaguely human proportions and allure making it seem like they have evolved for the sole purpose of looking like something out of a playboy magazine. I assumed that they were more popular with straight guys who barely considered themselves into poképhilia, but I trusted Hannah's taste even if it was a little vanilla.

I twiddled my thumbs while she was getting dressed, wondering what other Pokémon she had in her care. It looked like she had a bunch of Pokéballs on her belt, so she definitely had more than either Katie or Brandon. It made sense, since she was so into eggs and whatnot. She probably hatched most of them herself.

A few minutes later, a less-dripping Hannah jumped back into the living room. Her hair was still ruffled, but she struck me as the type who couldn't be bothered to brush it, even if it was shorter than mine. She wore a tank top that covered even less than the one she wore yesterday, but this time it was bright white with a cartoon heart design on the front, her chest making the top part of it stick out. She was wearing leggings that looked like they had been splashed with multiple distinct colours of paint. She seemed to have an affinity for vibrant colours that clashed with each other.

"Ready, soldier?" She cheered while putting on her bright pink trainers, giving a mock salute with her free hand. I gave her a big grin and returned the gesture. Her enthusiasm was infectious, even though she was surviving on little bouts of sleep she could fit in around the egg maintenance. "I'm swinging by the shed just to check in, but Lopunny can keep you company."

.-.-.-.-.-.

I was left standing outside of the incubation building with a playboy bunny by my side. Hannah's Lopunny was extremely well groomed, with no patches of fur looking longer than others and radiating a healthy sheen. She was thin, but not so much that she looked malnourished or anything. It was likely that she was very conscious of her figure and didn't want to ruin the whole supermodel thing she had going on. Her hands were permanently brought up to cover her chest burlesque-style, her fluffy wrists obscuring where her breasts would be if she was human. What a fun species trait. Her pink eyes were sizing me up lustily.

"So… uh, how long have you known Hannah?" I asked, deciding to break the ice between us. I would be lying if I was saying that having a sexy rabbit in front of me wasn't a little intimidating, even if she gave off quite a harmless vibe. I wouldn't want to receive a kick from those long, springy legs.

"Well, like, she got me when she was like, ten years old back in Sinnoh, yeah?" Britney drawled, and it was almost terrifying how close her voice was to the stereotypical valley-girl accent. She'd fit right in wearing a skimpy bikini and bitching to her friends on a beach somewhere about how she suspected her boyfriend was cheating on her. "You could say that I was like, her starter or whatever."

That couldn't be real. There was no way that was how all Lopunnys spoke. If anyone could deal with listening to that all day, it would be Hannah. It made me wonder if she was surprised yesterday when the translator made the noises of a stuck-up rich girl when she had never heard her starter's real voice. I guess it was somewhat endearing, since the airhead charm of her voice fit well with her appearance. Now that I thought about it, if she had any other voice it would be out of character.

"So, Hannah was born in Sinnoh?" I wondered, even more intrigued about the spunky girl with the pink hair. I hadn't really had much contact with people from other regions, and it's difficult to tell where someone is from without them outright telling you. I knew that Sinnoh could get extremely cold in the winter and had a cool history, but that was about it.

"Like, yeah!" She laughed, her floppy ears bouncing along as she found what I had said extremely funny. I could hear loud 'punny's in my left ear even though the translator was trying its best to turn the laugh into something humans could understand. "We used to live in Hearthome before we came to Hoenn, like, a few years ago."

She definitely had a penchant for using the word 'like'. She was probably saying it to fill time so her thoughts could catch up to the words that were spilling out from her mouth. She looked like she never thought very hard about much of anything, and would just say whatever she wanted without thinking of the consequences. Hannah likely preferred having Pokémon who spoke their mind, anyway.

"So, are you like, y'know, into Pokémon?" She asked, looking almost like she was about to jump onto me. It was well known that her evolution line procreated extremely quickly, and any areas that they lived in would soon be overrun by their offspring. It must not have just applied just to other Lopunnys, as she licked her lips almost predatorily at me. Her pink nose wiggled expectantly.

"Uh yeah… I just got into this whole thing a couple days ago." I admitted, focusing on the dew-laden grass instead of Britney's wanting eyes. Hopefully she would take the message that I wasn't quite ready to romp around with a playboy bunny who must have had years of kinky experience.

"Aw, that's like totally cool and everything." She said, somehow taking it better than I thought she would. I expected her to go in a huff because someone wouldn't spend time with her, but I guess the valley-girl disposition only went as far as her accent. I would have to start giving her more credit. She immediately backed off, relaxing and leaning on the outside wall of the shed.

"You two kids having fun?" Hannah's voice emanated from inside the shed. The image of her opening up each capsule and inspecting the eggs interested me, and I desperately wanted to watch her work, but I didn't want to disturb her one bit. It must have been delicate work. "Brit, honeybun, he's still a baby crawling through our fucked-up world, so go easy on him."

"Hear you loud and clear, sweetheart." She replied, and she had definitely dropped the accent significantly when answering her owner. If anything, her speech turned into the same chilled-out muttering that Hannah used. Since she had been around her for so long, it was only natural that she'd adopt the same mannerisms.

"What other Pokémon does Hannah own?" I asked, the curiosity finally bubbling over. I was sure that she would show me more at some point, but I wondered whether her collection was filled with more fluffy species like Lopunny. I had seen her with a Groyvle, but that may have just been one of the ranch residents.

" _Well_ ," She began, and I kind of regretted asking as it seemed like she was about to break into an exhaustive list. It was too late to go back what I had said, so I prepared to listen intently through all of the pauses.

"Aside from me, she has like, this totally handsome Grovyle called Apollo – he's like this super quiet guy who doesn't say much, then this adorable Minccino called Baxter who's a total sweetie, he's so gentle and is obsessed with keeping everything clean." She stopped to breathe, her feverish smile meaning that she still had much more to go. Her eyes were almost rolled to the back of her head as she tried her best to recall her comrades.

"Then there's this really fierce Salazzle she got when we were on holiday in Alola, her name's Victoria and we fight a lot cause she's like, pretty mean and all that but I love her anyway. Oh yeah, she has a Toxicroak called Oleander who was the only other Pokémon she got while in Sinnoh, and he's pretty creepy but we've been together for like, ages so I know that he's actually a good guy. Then finally, she has this giant Pangoro that used to be the cutest little Pancham, but once he evolved he turned into this total like, monster who doesn't take shit from anyone. His name's Chief."

Her collection far outweighed that of Brandon and Katie, both in terms of number and strength. She had plenty of fully evolved Pokémon, so she must have done her fair share of battling in her past. I was also noticing another pattern, that her team was split up evenly between mammalian species and then reptilian and amphibious ones. I didn't expect such a wild contrast.

"Yeah, you can probably tell I have a thing for both fur and scales." She laughed from the shed, and I could hear the sound of a capsule clamping shut. She emerged from the darkness and dusted off her hands on her multicoloured leggings. I eyed at the spheres on her belt, now knowing the contents of each one. "Variety is the spice of life."

"I'd love to meet them all some time." I said, smiling. Nothing made me happier than seeing what kind of Pokémon someone owned. You could tell a lot about their personality from the species they identified with, and even more about how they trained them. From the sounds of things, she was both a good breeder and trainer.

"Once you get some of your own, I'll take you under my wing." She winked, placing a lazy arm around both me and Britney. She hung off the both of us, scuffing the wet grass with her flashy shoes. Her smooth arm on the back of my bare neck made me shiver. "I learned under Tom, so you'll learn under me."

"Wait, Thomas taught you about training?" I asked, confused as to what she meant. I knew that they had a past together, but I thought that it only went as far as employment. From the way they were speaking, it sounded like he was a mentor to her. Her face went the same colour as her hair again.

"Uh… we've known each other since we were young…" She began, clearly embarrassed that she had to be speaking about when she was a child. Her arm tensed around my neck as she began to unintentionally strangle me. "He used to come to Sinnoh on vacation where I grew up during the summers, so we kind of became rivals."

Wow, so they went way back. The image of a young Thomas and Hannah running through forests to find Pokémon and laughing together was definitely cute, but she didn't seem to enjoy looking back on it. It was pretty awkward to have one of your childhood friends ending up as your boss, even more so that you both turned out to be poképhiles. She didn't look angry or anything, but it seemed like she preferred to live in the present than dwell on the past.

"Yeah, like, Tommy taught me how to like, kick people's asses and stuff so he's pretty cool." Britney cooed while receiving an ear massage from her trainer. I didn't doubt that Thomas would take pleasure in teaching a playboy bunny a whole bunch of fighting techniques, so maybe she wasn't as harmless as she first seemed.

"Anyway," Hannah began, clearing her throat forcefully to stop her Pokémon from reminiscing any further. "Enough about my embarrassing early days, Swablu will be wondering where her daddy went."

"Do not phrase it like that." I sighed, watching as Hannah smirked unabashedly at me. She was just waiting to make that joke, and from the look on her face the payoff was as good as she thought it was going to be. "It'll just make it weirder if we end up doing the deed."

" _When_ you end up doing the deed." She corrected, wiggling a disapproving finger in my face. I still saw Swablu as a baby, so there was no way that I was going to use her for stuff like that until she had matured a bit. That'd be a whole other depraved thing that I'm sure wouldn't give me a thrill. "Pokémon are down for mating pretty soon after they hatch, so don't think about it like that."

"Yeah, like, I don't even think we like, have proper ages anyway." Britney dismissed, innocently smiling at me like we weren't just talking about the semantics of consent between a recently-hatched Pokémon. "It's just kinda like, whatever, y'know?"

She had such a way with words. I spotted Hannah smile dumbly at her Lopunny from the corner of my eye, so she must have found that sort of thing really cute. They seemed like a good match for each other, even if the way Britney acted was interesting to say the least. Whatever floated her boat.

The three of us took the path to where Altaria usually basked in the sun. Hannah was explaining that I could take the Swablu once her mother said that it was okay, and since we had the translators it'd make the whole process go much quicker. She told me that it was a mixed bag how long it could take, with some mothers parting with their young right after they hatched and some wanting to stay with them for months. I knew that most avian species wanted to care for their offspring for a little while until they could fly well on their own, but Altaria was an outlier when compared to more common species such as Swellow or Pidgeot. I'd have to study up on the Swablu line.

She had also told me that it was customary to use a Pokéball on any newly hatched Pokémon, so that they wouldn't be considered wild. It was part of the job that she had to do, and the paperwork she needed to fill out meant that she had to list any Pokémon under the care of the ranch as trained. It was also helpful if they needed to be returned to their ball if they got in danger, but it was mostly just for convenience. It would also mean the translator would be able to pick up her speech, so I was excited to hear her voice for the first time.

It was a particularly sweltering day, and we passed many Pokémon trying to find any form of shade that they could. An exhausted looking Houndoom padded by us, clearly boiling over from a mix of his own body temperature and the sun. I was still amazed at the variety of Pokémon that were kept here, and that Houndoom must have had a particularly good temperament. If I remembered right, they were quite ruthless and difficult to train properly. He gave us a soot-filled snort and didn't say anything as we passed.

"Oh yeah, Hannah, how did the meeting with Thomas and Wren go?" I questioned, forgetting that I hadn't asked her earlier at the lodge. Her being covered in only a towel kind of threw me off, so I didn't get a chance to find out.

"Aw, it was totally fine." She shrugged, smiling at me confidently. I expected as much, but it was still a relief that Wren had a place to stay for the time being. I couldn't bear to think about him being sent back to the wild. "I let him go wander around last night so he could get used to the place, and he said that you should come to the woods if you want to talk with him."

"I'm glad it went well." I nodded, sighing now that the weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I'd need to go find Thomas as well to talk about what had happened. If only he wasn't so damn elusive. "Thanks again, Hannah. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Oh, stop it." She blushed, slapping on the shoulder forcefully. I wasn't trying to flatter her or anything, it was just that she seemed so willing to do things for me even though her work was stressful already. "It wasn't that big of a deal, seriously. Now you just have to recruit him, which I don't think I can help with."

That was next on the list of things to do after I saw Swablu, as I'd likely have to win him over a little more before I could ask him to join me. I was quickly coming around to the idea of having Wren as one of my Pokémon, as seeing more and more of my co-worker's relationships made me crave what they had. Wren was a good Pokémon, just troubled and misunderstood. I would need to help him make up with Julian, which would be quite a struggle, but we would cross that bridge when we came to it.

We came up upon the familiar hill that Altaria decided to call her home, and we each huffed and puffed as we scaled the grassy surface. I felt bad for Britney, with all that dense fur she must have been sweating rivers. She didn't dare let it show though, and her complexion was still sparkling. I imagined she would freak out if she got dirty – "I like, can't believe it!" The things she would say were so vivid in my head.

The sky was cloudless, so I definitely knew that the white mass we came upon was our target. She was asleep, her cloudy form rising and falling as she took slow, relaxed breaths. It would have been cute just on its own, but to add to the whole thing Swablu was perched on her back, snoozing away as well. Altaria's head plumage ruffled with the slight breeze at the top of the hill, and they both looked very peaceful. I felt bad about disturbing them.

Swablu woke up first, beak clicking quietly as her eyes fluttered open. It looked like she was in a daze. I did everything not to squeal because of how adorable it was. She confusedly gazed at us for a few seconds, her sleepy head not quite processing what was in front of her. Once she focused on me, they shot open and she scrambled to get her mother awake.

"Wake up! Wake up!" She prodded in excitement. Her voice was light and high, and even though she was enthusiastic about my arrival, there was a tone to her voice that was as gentle as a cloud. It was eloquent and easy to understand, like a singer's. Every Pokémon must have been capable of speech right when they were born. "Alex is here!"

Hearing my name in her voice made me smile widely. She really did have a bond with me, even if it was only because she had seen me first, it was better than her not knowing who I was. Hannah nudged me in the side, motioning for me to move forward. I guess she no longer needed to take the lead now that we had met her mother once before.

"Okay baby, I'm awake." The Altaria sang, rising up and stretching her massive wings. She let out what must have been a yawn even though it sounded more like a warble. The Swablu bounced around on her back, but the cloud material acted as a shock absorbent and she didn't tumble off and hurt herself. "You can go see him, just be careful."

Now that she had permission, Swablu climbed her way down the cloud mountain that she found herself in. She clawed and scratched, scrambling her way down her mother's body. Once she was on the grass, she erratically fluttered and jumped to try and reach me. I tip-toed forwards, almost too stunned to move any faster.

"Alex!" She chirped, propelling herself against me like a blue, fluffy cannonball. She hit me with little force and since she was incredibly light, it was like nothing was there in the first place. I cradled her in my hands, looking into her sparkling, black eyes. Her wings fluttered as she wanted to keep herself afloat without my help. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, girl." I whispered, feeling suddenly like Hannah when she was talking to the egg that this Swablu had come from. I understood how she felt at that moment, as everyone else seemed to fade into the background and my sole focus was placed on the Pokémon I was holding. I kind of felt bad for trying to speak to her so much when she was like this.

"When do I get to go home with you?" She asked innocently, and I frantically looked over at Hannah for any sort of assistance. I had no clue that she would be so eager to leave her mother, in fact I expected her to want to stay for a lot longer. It looked like she was pretty confident that she would be okay with me taking care of her.

"That's up to your mother." Hannah stepped in, making the Swablu look over in her direction. Her expression changed to one of… distaste? It was hard to tell what that emotion was as her face was little more than a white beak and large, black eyes. It seemed she still didn't think very highly of Hannah for limiting our time together. "What do you think, Altaria?"

"Well, I can plainly see that my daughter has taken a liking to this man." She said, gesturing a giant wing towards me. The soft breeze was dislodging part of her wings that had been shed, and a small shower of fluffy cotton balls made their way towards me. "Once I have determined that he would be a suitable caretaker, I would be happy to part with her."

Hannah looked equally as surprised as I was. She had also assumed that the Altaria would be protective of her daughter, but it looked like she was comfortable if I proved that I wasn't going to do anything suspect with her daughter. I had no idea if she knew what poképhilia was or not, so I was adamant to not just outright say what would inevitably happen once we got to know each other more.

The Swablu squirmed in my arms, clearly displeased that she wasn't receiving an answer straight away. I decided to sit down and place her in the space that my crossed legs created, so she could rest her head on me. It would bring me closer to Altaria's level too, and make things seem less standoffish. I was willing to do whatever I could to win over her favour. I felt like I was trying to impress someone's dad whose daughter I was trying to marry. Hannah stepped back towards Britney, confident that I could handle it.

"What do you want to know about me?" I asked kindly, twirling Swablu's head plumage absentmindedly. She had immediately calmed down once I started petting her, and I didn't even realise that I was doing it until she relaxed under my hand.

"What do you plan on using my daughter for?" She asked, tightening her oval eyes and pursing her beak primly. She rose her neck as high as she could, almost looking down upon me and the Swablu. "I would like to know what she would be doing when she is away from my care."

"Well, I haven't actually owned any Pokémon before this." I admitted, watching the Altaria's demeanour slackening to something less judgemental. She must have thought that I was an experienced trainer, taking away her child because she was the offspring of a Dragonite. I needed to show that I wouldn't use her solely for battling. "For myself, I've always wanted a Pokémon as a companion. Someone to spend my downtime with, that I can get to know. But more importantly, I think we should ask your daughter what she wants to do."

Her beak opened in surprise. She was clearly not expecting me to factor the Swablu into the equation. It was only fair that she should get a say in things, since she'd be spending all of her time with me from now on. I had to prove that I viewed Pokémon as more than just a commodity, as Wren had wrongly assumed of me. His confrontation with me had actually proved useful. It showed me that some Pokémon actually showed some dislike for trainers because of their ideals, even if Wren was a bit of an extreme case.

"So, honey, what would you like to do with Alex if he takes you?" She asked sweetly, bringing her thin neck back down to our level. She was much less intimidating when she was trying to please her child. The Swablu looked happy that she was being asked a question directly, perking up and backing up against me.

"Well, I want to do lots of things!" She responded, craning her small body to look at me. I wasn't convinced that she'd give a very meaningful answer since she was still pretty young, but it was good to get her opinion either way. "I want Alex to show me a bunch of things I've never seen before, and you've told me about battles, and I think they sound like a lot of fun! I've started to fly by myself pretty good as well, so I think I'd be good at battling!"

Funny. She was talking about the very thing that her mother was concerned about her doing. Altaria must have told her what battles were, and it looked like it had spawned some curiosity in her daughter. I certainly wasn't experienced or all that interested in battling properly, but if she wanted to see what they were like then I'd try my best to train her. Hannah did say that she would help.

"Oh yeah, I want a lot more hugs from him too!" She said, turning and burying her face into my stomach. I couldn't help but chuckle at her, as she seemed to be full of so much positive energy that it was passing over to me. Hugs I was much better at, although it was difficult to do one properly for a tiny Swablu. Her chirps were muffled into my shirt. "Please let me go with him!"

"Just to let you know, I work here at the ranch so you'll never be too far away from her." I said, trying to convince Altaria as much as I could. Hopefully once she understood that I wasn't going to whisk her away to Kanto and start battling with her, things would go a lot more smoothly. "I don't have any big plans for her, I've just always wanted a Pokémon to brighten my day. I'll do my best to keep her happy, and that's all that really matters to me."

I felt like I was being a little cliché, but those were my true feelings. Before I had started all this ranch stuff, I always envied others who got to spend time with Pokémon, almost unhealthily so. But now that I was spending time with the very type of people I had negative feelings towards, I was starting to admire them. I wanted to be like Hannah. I wanted to be like Brandon and Katie. I was tired of being left out of things. I flashed back to the training clubs that I never got to join in high school.

"Alright." She sighed softly, her beak curving in what must have been a small smile. I could hear the Swablu quietly gasp in amazement, and I almost couldn't keep my composure. The Altaria began to blur as I felt tears sting at my eyes. "If you promise to always keep her happy, then I trust you."

I could feel myself shaking. I was trying so hard not to break down in front of Hannah and Britney, but the disbelief that the Altaria was entrusting Swablu to me sent shockwaves all through my body. There was nothing else going on around me but the sun beating down hard on my back, and the whistle of the wind caressing my ears. Everyone was silent. I doubted that I would forget this moment for the rest of my life. The Altaria gracefully ducked her head down, splaying out her wings and giving me a courteous bow.

"Just one last thing." She began, breaking me out of my stupor. I remembered that the conversation hadn't ended, and I steeled myself for another question. "What will you name her?"

I hadn't even considered a name. My mind was too rattled to honestly think through all of the options I had thought about since I was a child. There was so many possible names that I could give to tons of different Pokémon, and a Swablu was one that I had never given any attention to. It needed to be fancy, befitting of a Pokémon that would one day grow into a beautiful creature. Refined, while also not being too complicated.

"Eloise." I said, my throat constricting my voice into a hoarse whisper. The nervous feeling that I hadn't felt at all today came back, but this time, I was comfortable with it. It didn't annoy me like it usually did, because somehow, I knew that everything would work out. It wasn't a worrisome feeling. "Is that alright?"

"Excellent choice." She approved, her eyes focused on her baby. I didn't know how the Swablu had kept it together this long. I thought that she would be jumping out of my lap and excitedly tackling into me. Maybe she understood that this was a tender moment. "Eloise… you are free to join Alex."

There it was. Before I could even blink, I was assaulted by a flurry of blue and white as she had managed to scale my chest all the way up to my face. I fell backwards onto the grass, laughing hysterically as her cloud-like wings were tickling the sides of my head. She was pecking and nuzzling my cheek as I flailed my arms wildly, trying to sit back up.

"All right, you two." Hannah said, breaking up the encounter before she managed to actually scratch my face up. Eloise fluttered off of me, drifting off into the wind like she didn't even weigh anything. She had gotten better at flying, or well, riding the faint wind currents with her wings. "You'll need to get your licence at some point, Alex, but it only really matters if you try and enter official tournaments and stuff."

Oh yeah, I had entirely forgot. You needed a government-issued Trainer ID before you tried to seriously train any Pokémon. It was to stop crime and help to easily identify criminals who used Pokémon for their nefarious deeds, which was understandable. It only took a trainer and a Pokémon who shared the same destructive mindset and a whole building could be levelled in a few seconds. I sat back up, watching as Eloise struggled to try and not rush into me again.

"Thank you, Altaria." I said sincerely, extending my hand toward the dragon type. I wasn't exactly expecting a handshake or anything, but she respectfully pecked at my hand with her strong, honed beak. "I promise to take good care of her."

"Please, call me Esther." She said, thinking that I had earned the right to now know her name. I would need to ask Thomas more about her, as I wondered if she was owned by one of his trainer friends or she had been caught by him to add to the ranch's ranks. It seemed rude to outright ask her about her past. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get some rest."

Hannah fell into place beside me. I felt oddly powerful when she was standing next to me, and I wasn't sure if it was just her confident personality or the fact that she was experienced trainer. Britney was still behind us, examining her paws and barely paying attention to what was going on in front of her. If Pokémon knew how to use phones, she would definitely be texting right now.

"You'll be needing this now." Hannah said, pushing the classic Pokéball into my hands. It felt much lighter than Wren's, and I couldn't tell if it was physical or emotional weight. When I was handling his, the situation was way more serious compared to this. Eloise's ball barely weighed anything, much like her. "You'll need get used to carrying them around with you."

The sun gleamed off the shining surface of the red and white ball. I almost lost myself in the reflection with the knowledge that I now owned it. I still hadn't had the experience of catching a Pokémon for myself, but I was sure that it would happen eventually. The bond that I shared with Eloise was enough to compensate for the fact it wasn't my own effort. This capturing device was the symbol of a trainer. I was a trainer. Not having a belt or a bag to put the deactivated ball into, I shoved it deep into my pocket and hoped it wouldn't tumble out.

"Can I come explore with you guys?" Eloise asked excitedly, pecking at the front of my muddy boots. It was weird to think that she had never really left this area, and had only seen the incubation shed and the hill we were standing on. Something about her enthusiasm told me that she too, would hate being cooped up inside a Pokéball.

"Sure, you can." I smiled, while watching Esther nod her head at me subtly. To other people, it must have seemed like she was trying to get rid of her child from the way she was so easily handing her over, but I could see that she was still keeping a watchful eye over all of us. I got the feeling that she would never be too far away from her baby, and would swoop in at any moment to fawn over her.

After my response, Eloise impressively pushed herself up in the air and flapped her wings feverishly. She wasn't gaining too much speed, but with admirable effort she had managed to elevate herself so that we were at eye-level with each other. She rose a little higher, out of my sight and I felt a warm presence perch itself on the top of my head. She settled into my nest of hair, scratching at my scalp with her claws. She was resting squarely on top of my head, snuggling down and chirping with content.

I had always thought the piece of trivia that Swablu often sat on their trainer's head like a hat was just a weird legend spread around. As I could feel her light breathing on top of me, I wondered if it was just an odd coincidence or a habit that the whole species had. Her cloudy wings almost fell by my ears, muffling my hearing somewhat. Both Hannah and Britney immediately found something very amusing, and even through my impaired hearing I could make out the snickers.

If it made her happy, then I could deal with looking a little silly. It was better than having her strain herself by running alongside me or flying around me. I had to keep reminding myself that she was still pretty frail, and we would have to take things slow until she built up a good bit of stamina.

With Eloise happily balancing on my head, we all said our goodbyes to Ester and started the descent back down the hill. It took a while for us to get back to the lodge, as we had to stop multiple times to let her look around at our surroundings. She didn't bother speaking all that much, and was too amazed by all the new things that she got the chance to look at it was almost like she we forgot we were even there. We passed by the Houndoom from earlier resting under the shade of a lone tree, who was rudely awakened by her chirping and screeching.

By this point, Brandon and Katie had arrived at the lodge. It seemed like they had both turned up relatively late, but Thomas wasn't around to actually notice. The times they had to be at the lodge for work seemed pretty lenient, so I wouldn't have to worry about accidentally sleeping in and pissing anyone off. It also reminded me that they weren't here because they needed to be, Thomas could go the full day without checking it seemed like, but they were here just purely out of their want to help out.

The reaction to the Swablu sitting on my head was a mixture of surprise and excitement. Brandon wanted to let his electric trio play with her, but envisioning the chaos that his Emolga and Blitzle could create, I thought that it would be better to wait until she was stronger. Katie couldn't stop going on about how fluffy and adorable she was, and I could swear that Julian seemed a little jealous that her attention wasn't directed at him. Eloise seemed overwhelmed by the amount of attention she was getting, but soldiered on to greet everyone nonetheless.

"Hannah told us that you had your eyes on that Swablu, but we honestly didn't think you'd go through with it this soon." Brandon smiled while giving me a strong clasp on the shoulder. His hand was strong and sure, and it made me consider what it would be like to be under their powerful grasp in a more… intimate setting. This place was affecting me. "Congratulations on getting your starter!"

"She's so cute!" Katie squealed while rubbing her hands all over Eloise's wings. My new Pokémon didn't seem to mind, leaning into the massage in bliss as her cloudy appendages were preened. "I would've snatched her up in a second… you're so lucky!"

"I'm more interested in her lineage." Julian mused, still lounging on the couch like I hadn't entered the room, stoic and unwavering as always. "Gulliver's genes will definitely make her a force to be reckoned with in battle, if you train her correctly."

"Gulliver?" I asked, watching Eloise nip at Katie's hands as she got a little too close to her beak. It seemed like she could only put up with so much handling before she got tired of things. Katie was just barely deterred, pouting and retreating back to her boyfriend in a strop. She could caress him as long as she wanted, that was for sure.

"Thomas' Dragonite." He answered, his eyes locked dead onto the Swablu that was adorning my head. Was the jealousy still lingering from earlier, or was this something different? "She's definitely inherited something from him. Gulliver's built up quite a reputation as being the strongest – and most aggressive – member of his team back when he was still active in the battling scene."

"Thomas used to battle seriously?" I questioned once again, this time receiving a nervous laugh from Hannah who had remained guiltily quiet throughout the conversation. It was like she knew this was where things were going to lead. She had returned Britney since getting back to the lodge, leaving her the only one available to answer.

"He and I did, actually." She admitted, avoiding my gaze. It wasn't such a big deal to me, so why was she acting like that whenever her past with him was brought up? I still wasn't seeing the whole picture when it came to those two. "We competed in doubles together, back when the ranch was still getting put together. It's how we got a portion of the money to build this place."

So, Thomas wasn't being entirely truthful when he said that he had gotten all of his prior money from his family. Now that I thought about it, there had been a couple clues in our past interactions about his battling background. The whole 'gym leaders of breeding' thing was referencing those who were the very best at battling, so I should have noticed that he idolised them in such a way. Him owning a Dragonite would make sense as well as it would require a ton of battling to make Gulliver reach his final stage in evolution.

"Eloise has the blood of a battler in her." Hannah added, looking at my Swablu with admiration now instead of guilt. It was hard to think that this frail little flying type had the genes of an immense dragon. "Maybe Tom wanted there to be a successor to Gulliver's power?"

"Whatever the case is, welcome to the group Eloise!" Brandon cheered, clearly wanting to lighten the mood a little with his upbeat personality. I had noticed him watching Hannah intently as she told her story solemnly and must have realised that she didn't want to dwell on it. He was being so considerate that I couldn't protest, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't curious about Hannah and Thomas' battling stories.

"You guys all seem like fun!" She said, finally rousing from her nest atop my head and fluttering down to the floor by Brandon's ankles. The size difference between them was amusing, to say the least. "If you're Alex's friends, that means you're my friends too!"

I could hear another audible squee from Katie, but she stayed where she was this time instead of trying to snuggle against my new Pokémon. Brandon laughed while kneeling down to ruffle her head-feathers, showing so much gentleness and care toward her. His hand practically dwarfed her, so he had to be careful not to squash my one and only team member.

That reminded me. Wren was still waiting in the forest for me to go and speak to him. This would be a day spent conversing with Pokémon, that was for sure. It was good training for how the rest of my days would be spent here, so I wasn't complaining. It would be quite the contrast going from Eloise to that eccentric Sneasel, and I didn't think that they would be ready to meet yet. As if she was reading my mind, Hannah tapped me on the back.

"If you want some privacy with Wren, I can take Eloise for a little while I chill out." She whispered into my ear. I doubted that the others knew about the entire situation, so it was better that she was being discrete rather than announcing it. If Julian knew, he was keeping it to himself for now. "I can let her play with Baxter, he's super gentle with recently hatched 'mons."

"You're a life-saver." I replied, still feeling her breath hot on my non-translator equipped ear. It was kind of a turn on to have her that close to me, but I didn't have time to think upon it. Talking with Wren while thinking of all the things I'd like to do with her wouldn't end well, so I'd just have to swallow it for now and pray for later.

"We'd better start our shifts." Julian reminded diligently. It was impossible to tell whether he was actively taking a role in helping me by getting the others away, or just doing what he always did with staying on top of schedule. Either way, he knew what I was going away to do. He always knew.

The others slowly filtered their way out of the lodge as everyone exchanged farewells, Eloise disappointed to see all of her new friends leaving so soon. I didn't like that I had to leave her too so soon after acquiring her, but it was a bullet that I needed to bite. Wren needed as much, if not more, attention right now in the state that he was in. She was still young, but I hoped that she understood that I had important matters to deal with.

"Are you working too?" Eloise asked, looking at me with Lillipup-eyes. I felt my heart basically snap in two as I was preparing to let her down for the first time, but Hannah had more tact and experience in dealing with youngsters, thank Arceus.

"Alex has an important job that he has to do by himself, but I can stay here with you." Hannah crooned, squatting down and somehow managing to keep her composure under the expectant stare of the little Swablu. It made me wonder just how many tiny, unruly baby Pokémon she had dealt with in the past. She was basically an expert in negotiating with those new to the world. "Do you want to play with some of my Pokémon?"

"Ooh~! What kind of ones do you have!?" She fluttered and squawked, completely taking the bait. I had expected it to be harder than that to pry her away from me, but she must have still been very impressionable and curious. She propelled herself into Hannah's waiting arms and squirmed around until she was facing me. "Bye bye, Alex – have fun at work!"

I mouthed a final 'thank you' on my way out the door as Hannah cradled Eloise much like I had done earlier. Her cerulean eyes softened as she looked back at me, her mouth curving into a one-sided smirk. I had no idea what exactly about the situation prompted this, but I felt my heart flutter in such a way that I hadn't felt for a long time. Seeing her come through for me time and time again, without wanting anything but a 'thank you' in return, and showing the same smirk that she was never without made me all warm inside.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Arriving at the edge of the forest, I found a very apprehensive-looking Sneasel. He was pacing around, weaving in between trees while lost in thought. He must have had a lot to mull over now that he had a moment to think clearly, and I felt slightly guilty that I didn't come to see him sooner. He was looking much steadier and level-headed than yesterday, greeting me with a courteous, albeit pensive, nod as I approached him.

"Hey Wren, you wanted to speak with me?" I asked, watching as the Ice type stopped his pacing to lean back onto one of the trees. His muscles were still tightened, and it looked like he was bracing himself to withstand an attack.

"I have been pondering over my situation, and I find it necessary that you should understand my past in more detail." He winced, his nervous demeanour now making more sense. He wasn't willingly wanting to discuss his past life with me, but felt inclined to do so under obligation. He was being brave to jump headfirst into such a rough situation like this.

"Whatever you want to talk about, I'm here for you." I smiled, seating myself on the grass beside him. I had noticed that he wasn't covered in dirt anymore, so have must have taken the opportunity by his lonesome to get cleaned up in the river.

"First things first…" He began, taking a deep breath for composure. "You should know that I was not abused in any shape or form by my previous owner. I am not some miserable victim who was toyed with by a twisted trainer."

"Well… if you weren't abused, then why were you released?" I asked, tone calm and passive. Wren was bothering to open up to me even though his demeanour was still locked up, so he wouldn't likely do so again. It would be best to get it all out now. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else right now, but his clawed feet were planted firmly into the ground.

"If you were being abused, then that would involve having negative action taken against you, be it violence or cruelty. My situation is quite the opposite… I believe it would be classed as neglect. While victims of abuse receive attention, those who are neglected are deprived of interaction."

He was being so articulate it was like he was giving a well-informed speech to a crowd of thousands. He had no doubt rehearsed what he was going to say to me, and there wasn't even a hint of uncertainty in his voice. His maturity was almost admirable, and it was a far cry from the rage he was displaying yesterday. I had never met such a Pokémon with the ability to act so refined. Even Julian would use abbreviation and slang, but Wren thought carefully about every word.

"So, your trainer didn't give you much attention?" I asked, ripping up tiny sections of grass so my hands would be occupied. It wasn't uncommon for some Pokémon to stay in their balls for lengthy periods of time, if their trainers worked long hours or they had other obligations, but that's what daycares and other services were for.

"He was a pilot." Wren murmured while shaking his head. "He was a man who was intensely devoted to his occupation, and could not care less about owning or training Pokémon. I was the only one he ever owned."

"Why were you with him in the first place?" I asked, only realising after the fact that I was being a little insensitive. I cleared my throat quietly, needing to remedy the tension that I had spawned in the air. "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

"I was a gift." He croaked, looking up at the bright blue sky and avoiding my gaze. "I was given to him as an egg once he completed his aviation training… I have no clue who would think that a Pokémon was a good award for a pilot who would have no time to care for one."

That was rough. Wren had been given to this man before he could even have a say in the matter. Eggs were usually reserved for people who would actually look after the Pokémon inside, and I had no idea which breeding service would give out an egg to someone who was just going to give it to someone else. There was always the possibility that the egg was made by the people themselves, wanting an easy option for a gift that they could just use their current Pokémon for.

"Do you know what it is like to be held in stasis in those horrid spheres for weeks at a time?" Wren growled, still glaring up at the sky like he was directing the question at Arceus himself. "You typical trainers likely do not know what we experience inside those infernal pieces of technology that have become so commonplace in your culture."

Now that he had spoken upon it, I realised that it was true. Since understanding Pokémon speech could only be done under specific circumstances that were only just being developed, and Psychic types were relatively uncommon, not many people knew what it was truly like to be inside a Pokéball. We had been taught about it somewhat, but only in passing mutters as even our teachers weren't too familiar with it.

"It is nothing." He hissed quietly, just barely audible enough for me to hear. "You do not have a physical form, everything is covered in a blanket of darkness and it is impossible to move anywhere. You do not feel hunger or the need for sleep, but you can still _think_. Your conscience is still aware while your body has been reduced to nothing but digital data."

He was on the verge of tears, his bottom lip quivering under his top fangs as he tried so hard to stop himself from breaking down. I had no idea it was so empty like that. The common depictions of the inside of a Pokéball were habitats that the species was native to, almost like a tiny world that they could have to themselves. Fields for the Ponyta to run, a river for the Barboach to swim, a limitless sky for Swellow to soar. I was certain that the scientists who developed Pokéballs spread this false message so that the public would be ignorant to where they were actually sending their Pokémon.

"For short spells, being like this is nice. It is a respite from the outside world where you can rest and collect your thoughts. You do not need to exert yourself and can recover from any stress that you have been feeling. It is peaceful. I imagine that most other Pokémon relish the chance to relax in their Pokéballs for a time."

"But it must get incredibly lonely if you're in there for a while." I finished, wanting to complete his thought before he had a chance to say it himself. It wasn't just to prove that I was paying attention to him, but Wren was close to breaking down again and I wanted to carry some of the load of the conversation.

"Yes." He sighed, looking back down at me with tired eyes. He looked grateful that I was still following along with his words. "With nothing left to do, I chose to ponder life's questions that would only plague philosophers. Who are we, really? What is our purpose? Those mysteries are what I focused my time on."

I had never met a Pokémon who was even remotely like this. Sure, some species possessed a great intelligence and Julian was a testament to how human-like they could become, but this was on a completely different level. Most Pokémon were just happy to live out their lives either in the wild or in the company of a trainer, focused on battling and wondering when the next feeding time was, but this Sneasel acted like that was all just a lie. I thought back to his words in our first encounter, how he called the wild ones 'savages' with so much venom that it was scary.

"I clung onto my intellect – my ability to reason, as it was the only thing that stopped me from just becoming… black." He admitted, clutching at his chest as if he was having a heart attack. "While I never came to concrete answers to any of these impossible questions, it was possibly the only thing that kept me sane in those gruelling hours. What else would you do if thinking was the only thing left that made you feel like a Pokémon?"

That struck a chord with me. The way he worded that last question sounded so entirely human that I was entirely convinced that the general masses had been going about this all wrong. Some lesser-informed people would spout nonsense that we are the greatest species since Pokémon cannot think for themselves. Humans have a sense of 'self' and that's what some would say sets us apart from our Pokémon counterparts. Some would even go as far to shout from the rooftops that the only reason Pokémon exist is because of humans training them.

I put a hesitant hand on Wren's shoulder, feeling his freezing fur bristle against my fingers. He didn't jump backwards or brush me away, but his posture softened as I consoled him. I was barely even viewing this Sneasel as a Pokémon now, as in my eyes he had earned every right to stand on the same level as the rest of us. His problems were complex than most were ever likely to face, but it looked as if they shaped him. The way he spoke, the way he held himself and his outlook were all crafted from his time alone in that Pokéball.

"How did you end up here in Hoenn?" I asked, still rubbing at his shoulder warily. I was enamoured by his body temperature, as it was cold enough to make the hair on my arm stand on end while also not being unpleasant to touch.

"Just before piloting a flight out of this region, he must have decided that I was not worth even keeping locked up and he… crushed my Pokéball." He said with a tone that was no longer sharp and biting but defeated, almost emotionless. "He told me that it would be better for the both of us and I would have more of a life than I ever had with him."

"Oh, Wren… I'm so sorry." Even though I was trying to keep up the persona of an understanding psychologist, the imagine of Wren witnessing his own Pokéball be destroyed shook me. Without really paying attention to what I was doing, I pulled him by the shoulder into a chilly hug. He needed physical support just as much as emotional at this point.

He started to shake in my embrace. To my surprise, I felt glacial claws wrap their way around my back as he leaned his head into my chest. His head feather was tickling my nose and I felt like my blood was about to freeze, but I only tightened my grip around him. I heard hushed sobs muffled by my shirt, but they weren't the panicked ones from yesterday. This was him letting all those pent-up emotions flow out with his tears.

"I was left to wander unknown areas… and I did things that I am not proud of." He cried, looking up me with soft eyes. His tears were glimmering in the sunlight, almost like they had crystallised when they encountered his numbing skin. He sniffed quietly after speaking, guiltily avoiding my eyes.

"You don't have to think about these things anymore." I consoled, somehow getting more accustomed to his arctic temperature. It was almost sobering and refreshing, like drinking a freezing-cold glass of water on a sweltering summer's day. "You found this place, and we're happy to let you stay here for as long as you want."

We sat in each other's embrace for what felt like hours. Neither of us said a word, and the only noise that I could hear was Wren's muffled sobs and sniffles. He kept a deathly-tight grip on me like he was afraid of being pulled away at any moment, and I solemnly looked out onto the horizon. Various other ranch Pokémon dotted around the hillsides went about their day without a care, while this troubled Sneasel poured his heart out in my arms.

Eventually, the Sneasel's soft sobbing subsided and was replaced with erratic breathing. He was shaking intensely, like he still had more crying to do but was trying to hold it back with everything he had. He reminded me of myself, in a way. I had definitely been there before, and it was almost like I was holding a younger version of myself. He cleared his throat weakly and lifted his head so he could look at me.

"Alex, I…" He paused in between strained breaths. "I think I want to stay with you."

Wow. Just like that? I was preparing to work up the courage to ask him whether he wanted to be under my care or not, and I would never have expected that he would be the one to actively make that decision all by himself. But it made sense, with the way that he was gripping me so tight. I must have been like a beacon of light in a sea of darkness for him.

"Are you sure, Wren?" I asked. I wasn't trying to dissuade him from joining me, but it seemed like he was being a little too forward, especially since his past with trainers was so horrible. I would have expected him to be extremely wary from all trainers after what he had to endure.

"You are the first person that I have encountered who bothered to interact with me." He said, finally letting go of my midsection and propping himself against the tree. The fur around his eyes was matted, and a dribble of snot was running from his tiny, black nose. "I have been deprived of stimulus for so long, I almost forgot what it was like to have a conversation with someone."

Now that I thought about it, the reason he was so trusting was because he didn't really know any better. If he had honestly been inside that Pokéball for weeks at a time, then there must have been plenty of things that he had no clue about. His trainer never let him explore on his own, never took him anywhere, never explained anything to him. If anything, he needed someone that he could rely on to show him all of things that he had missed out on. He probably felt vulnerable alone.

"…okay, Wren." I said finally, after an awkward silence hung around in the air. I couldn't say no to this Pokémon, no matter what. Not after what I had learned. "I'll become your new trainer."

He looked at me in total disbelief. His eyes glittered like a ray of light shining upon a slab of ice. His refined demeanour started to falter as he stumbled over his words like they were a physical wall in front of him. Usually, he had a response to everything but my answer had truly caught him off guard. He had just stopped crying and it looked like he was already beginning to tear up again.

I would make it my duty to treat him better than his old trainer did. If he just were to stay at the ranch as a permanent resident, then he would never get the chance to see the things he seemed to desperately crave. The only way he could have a happy life was to have someone by his side, able to ponder the same questions that seemed to gravitate towards him. He deserved better than what he had. He deserved me.

"I know it won't be easy for you." I added, looking straight into his pitch-black pupils. "But I'm willing to do all that I can to make you feel comfortable."

"Alex, I don't know what to say…" He spluttered, finally managing to overcome his shock. It must have been the first time that he had abbreviated a word, and it sounded completely foreign in his voice. I was already too familiar with his strict manner of speaking.

"It's okay, Wren." I smiled genuinely, trying to refrain from pulling him into another hug. Even though he was a scruffy Dark type with a sharp tongue, there was something oddly cute about him that I couldn't place. Perhaps it was how dishevelled he seemed to look.

"May I just spend a final day by myself?" He asked, after taking a deep breath to collect his feelings. I hadn't realised it until now, but the reason he had been so on edge was because he had been worrying that I might not accept him. "I still require a little time to calm down after all that has happened in these past hours."

"Sure, whatever you need." I nodded, finally able to look at this peculiar Sneasel as my own Pokémon. Somehow, I had managed to adopt two wildly distinct species with extremely differing personalities in just one day. Maybe I was the Pokémon Whisperer. "I'll be sure to get everything sorted out before I come to collect you tomorrow."

"You have my thanks, Alex." He said, giving me the widest smile I had ever seen from him. His large, chipped fangs made it a little lopsided but it had so much sincerity that I couldn't help but give him a large smile in return. "I will repay you in some way soon."

.-.-.-.-.-.

After we had exchanged our particularly heartfelt goodbyes, I began the walk back the lodge while trying to contain my excitement. I felt a mixture of unease and giddiness, as caring for Wren and Eloise wouldn't be easy, but my life was going through a massive change right before my eyes. It wasn't all set in stone yet, but once I acquired my licence I would be a fully-fledged Pokémon Trainer. I wondered what my family would think of it.

It felt like barely any time had passed when I reached the entrance to the building that I was becoming so familiar with. It was quickly becoming like a second home and I figured that I would be spending more time than my actual house. I squinted my eyes as I risked a glance up at the position of the sun to check how far along we were in the day, and it was resting leisurely in the middle of the sky. The others would definitely be on their break by now, and I felt like it was time for some much-needed human interaction.

Stepping into the warm living room confidently, I spied Hannah sprawled over the couch with a snoozing Swablu cuddled into her chest. They were both totally asleep, with Hannah's slow breathing making Eloise rise and fall in time with the chest movements. I could hear Brandon and Katie bickering over the strength of the coffee in the kitchen, the former's tone being more light-hearted and joking compared to Katie's shrill condemnation. Julian wasn't in his usual space, probably standing behind Katie like an eternal bodyguard.

I was surprised that Hannah could even fall asleep with all the noise, but she was probably exhausted enough to fall asleep just about anywhere. Against my better judgement, I couldn't help but – somewhat creepily – admire the woman sleeping in front of me. She looked so peaceful, with such a neutral expression. I was used to the smirk she always had so seeing her like this was pretty strange. It was like she was a drunk teen passed out on the couch at a friend's party, with how heavily she was sleeping.

Apparently, Eloise was a much lighter sleeper than my diligent co-worker as I could barely react before she began to squawk excitedly at my presence. I hadn't even noticed that she was awake as I was too absorbed in looking at Hannah. I brought up my hands and frantically shook my head to try and quiet her down, but the damage was already done.

"Hmm… heya, soldier…" Hannah slurred with eyes half-closed as she tried to pick herself off of the couch. One of the straps on her tank top had slid down past her shoulder, and as she gave me a lazy smile it really hit the image of a reckless teen home. "How'd things with Wren go…?"

Eloise scrambled off of her until she was hopping from claw-to-claw in front of me. I knelt down to shower her with attention while still keeping my eyes on Hannah. It was quite hard to juggle a normal conversation while you had an energetic Swablu nipping at your heels, and I imagined that this was what parent felt like with young children. I had no idea how Hannah could deal with so many juvenile Pokémon.

"Somehow, I'm his trainer now." I replied, rubbing my neck in embarrassment. I had no idea while I was feeling so ashamed, but to me anyway, it looked like I was biting off more than I could chew. I had only been introduced to Pokémon properly a couple days ago, and now I was going and adopting two of my own.

"Nice." She yawned, giving me a shaky thumbs-up. She rubbed at her eyes with her free hand and looked around the lodge to get her bearings again. It was quite concerning that it looked like she had just woken up from a twelve-hour sleep even though it had only been a small nap. "Take it from me, it's good to get variety with the types of Pokémon that you train."

"I'll be taking him in tomorrow, so I'll have time to get my proper trainer's license by then." I informed, throwing myself onto the couch next to Hannah with a restless Swablu squirming in my lap. It seemed like she didn't enjoy all of my attention focused on the girl next to me, but she would just have to learn that the world didn't revolve around her. All new Pokémon were probably like that.

"Just don't tell the people at the trainer's registration that you're planning on banging any Pokémon that you come across." She laughed, fixing her ruffled hair and finally re-adjusting her fallen strap. "Those corporate cronies don't take too kindly to it."

I had an urge to cover Eloise's ears like you would do with a child who had just heard a naughty word. She seemed too absorbed in my petting to be really listening to what Hannah was saying anyway, so it looked like we were in the clear. I would have to bring up the whole subject with her soon, but that could wait until she was settled in with me. I wanted to tell myself that wasn't a reason why I had got her. For my sanity.

"Pokémon aren't the only things I'll be banging y'know." I replied with a laugh of my own. I couldn't help but flash back to the kiss she had planted on my cheek, then her dripping form covered only by a towel, and the whispering she had done earlier in my ear. You could practically cut the sexual tension in the air between us with a knife. "You're making it sound like I'm not interested in my own species."

"What are you interested in then…?" She implied, giving me a sultry smile that I had only seen a couple hours previous. This time, it didn't feel like she was teasing for the sake of making me feel uncomfortable. There wasn't a hint of jest in her eyes, but something else way dirtier. Could we really?

Before I could reply, the argument between my two other co-workers had apparently ended with Katie being declared the winner. Brandon emerged first, with his usual smile like he hadn't just been berated by her. It scared me that Katie could hold her own in argument against someone who would just nod and smile back without much of a fight. Then came the other two and before I knew it, the living room was filled with activity again.

"Alex… would you mind letting me see Eloise for a few minutes?" Katie pleaded, practically getting on her knees in front of me. Julian scowled, likely sick of all the attention that my new partner was getting. He put on such a manly façade that it was hard to think of him as someone who enjoyed cuddling.

' _I'm just in tune with my feelings, is all.'_ He projected immediately, and I didn't even need to look at him to tell that he was folding his arms. There was nothing wrong with a guy who liked being under his girlfriend's thumb, and I was in no position to judge him in any way. ' _You're lucky that you saved me yesterday, or else I wouldn't stand for this type of slander.'_

"Sure, Katie." I agreed, giving Eloise a final ruffle on the head before I lifted her off of me. My lap felt like I had just been resting a hot water bottle on it, and her clouds retained so much warmth that it was astounding. It made sense since even though she was avian Pokémon, she didn't have that many feathers to speak of.

"I get to play with so many new people now that I'm with you, Alex!" Eloise exclaimed with a final, cheerful look back at me before jumping into Katie's arms. My co-worker looked so pleased with herself, like she had just got away with a robbery and was holding a bag of money in her hands instead of a Pokémon. I guess it was fair trade since I had spent some time with Leilana yesterday, and she was only wanting to play with mine instead of the more immoral acts that I had committed.

Hannah left her space beside me and began to walk slowly toward her bedroom. It made me curious what it was like, and I couldn't help but imagine a room filled to the brim with different flavours of lollipops. I supressed a smirk and left her to whatever business she had, turning my attention back to the woman who was currently playing peekaboo in the corner with my new Pokémon.

I was conflicted on when was the best time to tell them about Wren. Julian most definitely knew and was keeping it quiet either for my sake, or just because he was bitter about everything that had happened between them. I wasn't worried that they would freak out or anything, but the situation was still pretty awkward. Brandon would probably smile and congratulate me like nothing had changed, but Katie was a different case. She had witnessed what Wren had done, and I already knew that she cared a great deal about the Pokémon that she cared for. Wren was responsible for hurting her boyfriend, and she likely wouldn't think too highly of a Pokémon like that.

"So, Alex, what are you planning to do now that you own a Pokémon?" Brandon questioned, his eyes warm and accepting. His face looked like the very embodiment of joy itself, and it made me wonder whether he even knew how to express another emotion. "I know that you won't go on a massive journey since you're working here now, but a whole bunch of options have opened up to you!"

He was right. Even though I had only wanted to own one just for the simple reason of companionship, there was now so many different things that I could do. Battling was something Eloise wanted to do, and I had promised myself to take Wren to see the things that he had never gotten the chance to. Going on a journey wasn't really my style, but I could see myself taking small trips whenever I got the chance. It was much safer to go off the beaten path now that I had a Pokémon with me, and maybe it was just the new Alex speaking, but going out and seeing the sights sounded like a good idea.

"I wouldn't mind going some places and seeing what wild Pokémon are around…" I thought aloud, the idea sounding better and better as soon as it escaped my lips. This was my chance to not only experience Pokémon in their natural habitats which would help with work, but it would fulfil my desire to get the whole trainer experience that I was so jealous of. "Not actual traveling of course, but if I got the time I'd like to do some exploring around the area."

"That was what I did as well!" He grinned, looking pleased that we shared some common ground. I could imagine him hiking up some mountains just to see what was there, since his physique definitely told me he had spent years on the move in various ways. "I wasn't as serious about traveling around like Katie was, but I know a few good spots around here that would probably interest you."

Brandon was probably the person I had spent the least time with, so I wouldn't mind getting to know him in a place that wasn't directly related to work. More importantly, I was finding people who shared the same interests as me. These weren't people who were seriously into pushing Pokémon to their limits, well Thomas and Hannah's pasts made them slight outliers, but they were just enjoying the fun that came with owning Pokémon.

"Sure, I'd love to!" I agreed, grinning back at the tanned worker. I felt all giddy that I was getting along so well with everyone, and we were even planning things to do together outside of work. I had definitely lucked out with the people here, but I guess it was more to do with Thomas' skill of picking people who were genuinely nice.

Before we could talk any further, I heard my name being called out from behind me. It was Hannah, who had shouted my name from inside her bedroom. I had no idea if she was just stringing me along and was going to jump out at me or something, or she had something genuine to show me. Either way, I was quick to jump to my feet and find out whatever it was she wanted me for.

Her door was ajar just slightly, not even enough for me to see into. I stopped in front of her room, with my back to the others. I hesitated on whether I should just enter or not, since this was where the woman I was crushing on slept and everything. It made me feel like an awkward teenager, but before I could make another move I watched as the door creaked open ominously. Why was she being so secretive?

Suddenly, I felt Hannah's hand wrap around mine and I was pulled forwards into her bedroom. Before I could even yelp, she pressed a finger softly to my lips and gave me a sultry grin. I instantly knew what she wanted. She was going to do this with Brandon and Katie standing right outside in the living room? If I was working anywhere else, that would be about the riskiest move you could ever make but she had likely done these spur-of-the-moment sessions countless times before without the others batting an eye.

Her room was dark. She had hung a purple blanket over the single, small window to block any light that tried to intrude into her hovel. It was incredibly cramped, with the giant queen-sized bed taking up most of the space. Her bedsheets were crumpled near the bottom, folded and twisted into a careless ball. I tripped over a discarded shirt that was on the floor as she dragged me with enough force that I thought she was going to rip off my arm.

"…are you sure we have time for this?" I asked warily, trying to ignore the blood that was rushing down to below my waist. Just the mere implication of what we were about to do was enough to set me off.

"Unless you've been cursed with an insatiable libido and stamina like Britney, then we should be fine." She grinned, apparently not deterred enough by the situation to stop cracking her jokes. I could see that her face was flushed a ticklish pink even in the dim light, and she chewed subtly on her bottom lip in anticipation.

"Fair enough." Was all I managed to say before she pulled me into a kiss.

She didn't waste any time in being gentle. Her sweet tongue pushed its way into my mouth forcefully as she wrapped her arms around my waist. The first thing that hit me was the dark taste of cherry, no doubt a remnant of a lollipop she had been sucking on earlier. It was almost as overpowering as her tongue, pushing me into compliance as I opened my lips for her.

We tumbled forwards onto the bed, our lips still locked together. Neither of us had any intention of breaking our embrace as our tongues wrestled for dominance. My mind was in a haze and I had never experienced a kiss so passionate before. She was an expert, stopping to nibble softly on my lip as I moaned. One of her hands was placed firmly on the back of my head, playing with my scruffy hair as the other fumbled around looking for the zipper on my jeans. She finally broke the kiss with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Never was good with finesse in the heat of the moment." She looked up at me, purposefully widening her eyes and putting on an innocent smile. The pink fringe of her pixie cut dangled adorably as it obscured one of her eyes.

I supressed a shudder as it suddenly hit me just how much I wanted to bend her over this bed and make her scream, but my confidence wasn't exactly all there just yet. We could save that for the second time around, and for right now I wanted to make our encounter special. She deserved it. I decided I was going to try my hardest to pay her back for all that she had done for me.

"Happens to the best of us." I retorted, quickly unzipping my jeans before I dived back down onto her. I returned the favour by nibbling on her neck, just barely missing one of tattoos with my mouth as I suckled on her soft skin. It probably wasn't the first lovebite she had gotten, but I wanted to show Katie and Brandon what I was made of.

Even though she was beginning to writhe under me, her steady hand snaked its way into my jeans and tugged at the opening in my boxers. She was only making contact through the fabric, but it was enough to make me fully hard just in anticipation. I heard her give a little snicker that would usually warrant a snarky response, but she stopped me in my tracks by freeing my erect member from my boxers and taking it in her hand. I could feel myself throb against her bare skin as I finally stopped sucking on her neck.

"Looks bigger now that I can see it up close." She taunted, drawing her light fingertips across the surface of my shaft. Her tone was playful as usual, but I took notice of the lust in her eyes as she looked down at my manhood. She had been wanting this just as much as I had.

"You never quit, even when we're like this." I whispered, trying to keep my composure under the intense teasing she was performing. She never wrapped her hand fully around me, but would only use her fingers to brush against my shaft or head. It was difficult even to think of words as she was entrancing me using solely one hand.

"Make me quit." She moaned, finally dropping the teasing and grasping at my full length. I instinctively bucked my hips forwards into her waiting hand as she began to pump my dick up and down.

I leaned in for another kiss, this time plunging my tongue as deep as I could into her mouth. She stopped pleasuring me for a second as she gave a surprised yelp, but soon leaned forwards into me for another round of wrestling. I didn't even notice, but she had begun to take off her leggings with her spare hand. I followed her lead, breaking the kiss only for a split second to throw my shirt to the side. We were getting feverish now that we had more skin contact with each other.

Soon, after awkwardly pausing for me to wriggle out of my jeans and for her to unclip her bra, we were both left with nothing but each other. I could finally see what was only just hidden with a towel a few hours earlier. Surprisingly, she didn't have that many tattoos other than the ones that were completely noticeable before. I had expected her to have ones that were a bit closer to her chest, but the pale skin was left completely bare.

Her breasts were small and perky, complimenting her skinny stature perfectly. I couldn't help but stare at them in awe, making her blush as she pushed them together with her hands. Her nipples were already erect, and I was going to make a joke about how they were similar in colour to her hair, but it was like she could already tell what I was going to say and pulled me into a hug. My ear was pressed against her mouth, so much so that I could hear every breath and tiny moan as she prepared herself for what was to come. It drove me wild.

"Come on, Alex." She pleaded, her hands running down my back. I could feel her painted nails leave faint scratches as she followed the curve of my spine. They eventually stopped, digging into the skin painfully. "Fuck me."

With that, I positioned myself so that my cock was poking at her entrance. Her folds rubbed against my head as she shivered, and instead of plunging myself deep into her like I had done with Leilana, I slowly entered inch-by-inch. My dick was enveloped with increasing warmth as I carefully made a thrust that was several seconds long. I let a long groan escape my lips as her wet pussy parted for me. I could feel her walls press against me as she tensed.

She was tight. I expected her to be just a little loose with all the fucking she had done in the past, with Pokémon like Pangoro no less. Despite that, my dick fit snugly inside the girl that I had fallen for. I pushed myself to the hilt inside of her, stopping for a few painstaking moments to let myself throb against her insides.

And then, just as she had let herself get settled, I gave a thrust that shook her to the core. Her head whipped against mine as she writhed under me, her hands moving further down my back. She was trying to push my hips forward even more as her palms pressed up against my ass, parting my cheeks unceremoniously and exposing my backdoor to nobody, thankfully. I would never have thought it would turn me on, but as she spurred me to go even deeper it only added fuel to the fire.

My thrusts fell in time with our staggered breaths, and I lifted my head to watch as my hips rocked her body. Her eyes were tightly closed and her mouth was wide open, making every breath she took turn into a heavy moan. Upon looking at her, I felt something that was entirely different from the time with Leilana, or any other girl for that matter. It was Hannah. I was having sex with Hannah. I wasn't sure if she saw things the same way, but there was a passion that was indescribable.

By this point, she had stopped pushing my hips with her hands and instead was propping up her own legs, allowing me to reach the deepest possible place inside of her. It was an electric feeling, every single area of our bodies that were touching were aflame with pleasure. I stopped gazing at her and instead went in for another lustful kiss. Her breasts pushed against my chest as I pressed down into her, both of us wanting to be engulfed in each other.

Somehow, we were rocking the massive bed up against the wall, adding another loud sound to the symphony we were creating. Both of our muffled moans mingled with the slapping sound which was drowned out by the banging of the bed. I didn't care if they could hear us. In fact, I wanted them to hear us. Everything about Hannah in this moment, her scent, her messy pink hair dripping with alluring sweat, the feel of her pussy quivering with nervous excitement drove me crazy.

She broke the kiss this time, opening her eyes to greet mine. They were fiery and wild, wanting so badly for release. She bit on her lip as her eyebrows furrowed in pleasure. I retorted with a sly smile that had a totally different meaning from what it usually did. This wasn't the smile we would normally use. This was one to say that 'you're mine.'

We didn't have to use words. There was an incredible understanding that we both had in that split moment where our eyes met. The soft blue in her eyes was like a shimmering stream that I seemed to lose myself in. I was drowning in her, but I didn't want to come up for more air. I was content to entirely devote myself to this girl that I had only met a couple days previously. It was blissful, and I never wanted the inevitably of our orgasms to ever come. We could just stay on our break forever, entangled together with no end in sight.

One hand that I was using to support my weight lifted to brush a stray hair out of her face, my thrusts only grew more powerful as I made up for the lack in stability. The room was intensely hot, and I could feel the feverish sweat dripping down from me and onto her stomach. She was bright red, no longer even close to the shade that her hair was. I could barely breathe, but even though the danger of passing out was serious, I risked my life for another sloppy kiss.

This was it. I could feel her movements growing more and more frantic, her tongue barely even managing to keep up with mine. There was my own burning sensation that was rising that I also had to consider, and it dawned on me that I wouldn't be able to keep up with this forever. I sped up with as much force that I could muster, wanting so badly to feel her shudder and accept all that I had. The times that we had ended a kiss were countless now, but I would remember this one for the rest of my life.

"Inside me, Alex." She moaned, wrapping her shaking legs around me as her arms found their way to my back again. Her words were barely audible over all the noise we were making, and she was completely breathless. Her grip was either loosed by her oncoming orgasm or by the amount we were both sweating, but she tried as hard as she could to hold onto me.

My legs grew weak. Every sensation that I had felt in our lovemaking was hitting me tenfold. I couldn't think anymore, there was no more pondering about the situation to be done. I couldn't appreciate how cute her face was right now as I was only focused on the command that she had given me. In my pleasure-induced stupor, I said the words that I had been thinking the entire time but had been too nervous to say.

"I- love you, Hannah!" I groaned, somehow finding my mental bearings enough to string together a sentence. There was no way that I would have ever said it otherwise, and in the heat of the moment it gave me the confidence to realise the feeling that I couldn't place earlier. This was different from the other times. Was this what Katie had meant when she explained romantic attraction to me?

"Oh Arceus, I love you too!" She screamed, slamming her arms onto the bed as she couldn't take it anymore. She pushed her pelvis up with the last of strength, shivering and shuddering with so much force it looked dangerous. Her eyes were tightly closed, but I didn't need to see them to understand that she was telling the truth.

Her walls tightened as she came, ushering the onset of my own orgasm. My head was spinning as I jolted forwards, almost headbutting her. I breathed a disjointed mess of moans and groans as I exploded inside of her, letting out all that I had. It lasted for several seconds, way longer than I was accustomed to. I was involuntarily thrusting all the way through, finding it impossible to stop. If Julian could feel what it was like in my head when I came, then I imagined he would be on the floor right now.

I fell onto her, just barely registering her reply to my accidental confession. We were panting heavily, and I could hear her heart almost bursting out of her chest. I could feel myself drifting off into sleep like a Jigglypuff was singing to me, but the realisation that she had the same feelings that I did kept me awake. Hannah's arms wrapped around me not with passion, but with a gentleness that I had never experience before. Like I was newly hatched Pokémon. It wasn't the way you would hold a co-worker who you just wanting a quick fling with on your break.

We lay there for what seemed like an entirety, content with just holding each other. There was a lot that I still didn't know about Hannah, and I had a feeling like I had just scraped the tip of the iceberg when it came to her. But from the little I had seen, I wanted to be with her. I didn't care what her past relationship with Thomas was like, I would help her through anything that she was feeling awkward with. I was the psychologist after all, if I could work my magic on Pokémon then surely it would work with people too.

Our words to each other still hung in the air, and for some reason I got the feeling that my life was taking a completely different turn than I expected when I picked up that phone. This was just the beginning of what would be a life filled with dubious sexual encounters, killing time with eccentric co-workers, and of course, Hannah. I couldn't be readier for all of this with her by my side. She was playing weakly with my matted hair as my face was pressed into her chest, and I let out a hushed chuckle.

"What's so funny?" She asked, laughing lightly herself.

"Just thinking about the workout I'll get from all the sex I'm gonna be doing."


	7. Starting Small

**Draconic** **Neo:** I don't really have any plans for how long the story will be. I've got all the main plot points set out, but with the nature of the story I can have chapters that are tons of smut and not much else. I'll try and have a balance of plot and smut, but I'm not painstakingly planning out every chapter right now. It won't be ending on purpose any time soon, let's put it like that.

 **Guest and L:** Since your questions are basically the same, I'll get them both done here. Riolu and Lucario have become an iconic part of smutty Pokémon stories, so yeah, they'll definitely be in here at some point. To L specifically, I have no problems with using pre-evolved forms – it just all depends on the actual physical makeup of the Pokémon. You won't be seeing Magnemite anywhere in this story smut-wise for example, but pre-evolved forms like Zorua, Riolu, Charmander etc. all have a chance of being featured. You can probably tell Swablu will play a role soon.

 **Guest:** No spoilers or anything, but Oshawott's evolution line will be featured pretty far in the future – so you've gotta wait a little while. As far as Samurott's head armour, I've never thought that it could be removed before, but since it's meant to be a shell-type thing – I guess it could come off!

Sorry for the long wait guys, but I'm studying at university and it's kinda been kicking my ass. I'm back into a rough routine, so I'll try and get more chapters out as soon as I can. Prioritising my education first - boring I know.

* * *

"So, what is it with you and lollipops?" I asked, now suitably dressed and sitting on the side of Hannah's bed. My clothes were slightly more dishevelled than before, and my hair was quite a mess. My knees were still weak and I wanted so badly to just lie down with her again, but we still had our jobs to do.

She let out a hushed chuckle as she paused from pulling up one of her bright pink socks. She cleaned up way better than I did, and it looked like she had just been sleeping instead of romping around the sheets with someone else. Her pixie cut was permanently ruffled, so she just looked normal compared to the matted mop that was atop my head. Maybe I should get a haircut.

"Back when I was younger and still experimenting with Britney in secret…" She began with a smile, barely able to contain her laughter. "I'd use them so my parents would only notice the cherry or whatever on my breath instead of my Buneary. Those were dire days."

"Smart." I noted, impressed at her inventiveness. People could be so sneaky when they were trying to hide their taboo poképhile relationships. There would be no way I could face my own mother ever again if she found out what I was doing. "So, it just became a habit after that?"

"Yeah. It took me years to notice I was still doing it even though I had moved out ages ago." She smiled, brandishing the lollipop at me like a weapon to emphasise her point. This one was bright green, probably apple or pear. I admired that she didn't stick to one flavour all the time, and I was looking forward to tasting all those different lollipops on her tongue. "S'better than smoking a cigarette in the afterglow of fucking someone, I guess."

"Sugar is pretty bad for you." I joked, finally able to stand up on my own without feeling like I was going to keel over. Our little escape to her bedroom had taken a lot out of me, and the recovery period was a long and arduous process. Hopefully I would improve over time.

"Since when are you a moral authority on what I should be putting in my body?" She retorted, giving her hair a haphazard brush in front of her mirror that was propped up against her dresser. I could have sworn that I saw slivers of blonde roots when she was parting her hair back, and it only just now occurred to me that she must have had a natural hair colour.

"As long as it's more of me from now on, you can do whatever you want." I laughed, stupidly proud of how well I was bantering with the girl in front of me. I had always had a hard time talking to women, even guys at some points too, but we just seemed to click together really well.

"Speaking of that…" She turned around to face me, but her eyes were directed to the purple carpet below. The hesitance was clear on her face as she chewed on the remnants of the lollipop. "Right at the end there, did you mean… what you said, with the whole 'I love you' thing?"

There was that nervousness that I was doing so well to avoid. I had hoped that I could just live without it for a day, but my chest tightened up and my throat constricted like they were both taunting me. In the moment, it was easy for me to admit my feelings, but now that I wasn't entirely thinking with my dick things weren't exactly black and white. I had better answer her. Any longer and it would look weird.

"Yeah, I did." I admitted, joining her in staring directly at the shaggy carpet below us. I didn't notice it before, but it looked like her whole wardrobe was just strewn around the floor. Bras, underwear and shirts littered the area like she had just thrown everything behind her when she was looking for something that she wanted to wear. "… I think you're special, Hannah."

We finally made eye contact again. She had a small, sincere smile, one so different from the lopsided smirk she should often show me. She awkwardly fidgeted with a frayed hem on her shirt as she looked shyly over at me, and in that moment, I could feel my heartbeat quicken. Should I have said it like that? What if she didn't think of me in the same way? I might have gone and just ruined everything with her.

Before I knew it, she had pulled me into a tight hug. I was left to stare at the blank wall as Hannah clung onto me, her thin arms powerfully holding me in place. She was leaning on me, and I could feel how tense she was. The room was silent, and I couldn't even hear any commotion outside in the living room. It was strange to see her so vulnerable, so dainty, so… normal.

"I'm not good with all this, uh… sappy stuff." She admitted into my wrinkled shirt, so quietly that I could barely hear what she was saying. Her voice was high and hushed, like a child who was trying not to wake their parents up late at night. "You're different from most people I've come across, Alex. I haven't felt like this about someone in a while… so, I guess, goddamn, I want to be with you."

This all just had to be a dream, and I was still sleeping by my lonesome. In fact, this whole ranch business had felt like just one huge hallucination. I had been so unhappy just alone in my bedroom, not having any contact with anyone for weeks. I had went from someone who was afraid of sunlight to someone who was professing their love for a snarky girl with bright pink hair, starting their life as a trainer. Who even needed therapy?

"I'm guessing that I'm gonna be seeing a lot more of this room." I smirked, trying my hardest to lighten the mood. Just like she said, Hannah looked to be much happier when things weren't too serious, and I wasn't sure whether there was a deeper meaning behind it all or not.

"Damn right." She whistled, letting me go with a final squeeze. She looked immensely thankful that I didn't dwell on all the 'sappy' stuff, and the flash of vulnerability I had seen from her was quickly replaced by her familiar smarmy grin. "For now though, we should probably do the jobs we're getting paid for."

"You've got a point there." Was all I managed to say before she pulled me out of bedroom in the same manner she had lured me in.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Leaving Eloise safely in the paws of Hannah's Minccino, I was now free to start working for the first time. I didn't count my interactions with Wren as purely professional now, as I had somehow twisted that into a more personal affair. I just hoped it wouldn't go like that with every Pokémon I came across, because I was already going miles away from my comfort zone in terms of training. Maybe once I got my license I would start feeling a little more confident.

I had decided to walk towards the hill that Esther was roosting on, since that was the area of the ranch I was most familiar with. It would be easier to meet all the Pokémon closest to the lodge and then work my way to the outskirts. Even though autumn was slowly approaching, the sun hung high in the sky with fervent determination. I couldn't help but stop and smell the scent of freshly cut grass as I paused to survey the hills around me.

My days as a Pokémon psychologist were finally beginning, and the realisation that I had no formal training was sitting like a stone in my stomach. From what I could gather of Thomas' vague hints, he wanted me to just… talk to the ranch residents about their stay here. I could already tell things wouldn't be as simple as that, and if being a Pokémon psychologist was anything like being a regular one, I would be trying to assist various species with their problems. I would need to be a wise teacher, a shoulder to cry on and an optimistic friend all at the same time, to Pokémon that I had never met before. Start small, Alex.

"… you just gonna stand in the middle of the path here all day, bud?"

I was brought out of my panicked thinking by a threatening, gruff voice growling from behind me. I whirled around and was met with an intimidating Houndoom. His tired, red eyes glared through me and his overall satanic visage made me shrink down at his presence. I had seen him earlier with Hannah, but I didn't realise how scary he looked up close. His whip-like tail lashed behind him as he begrudgingly awaited a response.

"Oh, uh, sorry, I was just uh, thinking about some things." I spluttered, trying to clear the way for the hellhound. I was hoping to meet a species that was easy to talk to, like a Linoone, but instead I had bumped into this guy. So much for starting small.

"Not seen you around here before." He mused, tightening his red muzzle while snorting out a plume of black ash that seemed to corrupt the very air around him. "Thomas took in another kid, huh?"

He had no intention of moving past me now. I had no clue how to respond to this standoffish dog, as every time I looked him in the eye all the morbid facts about his species was all I could think about. Their fire attacks would leave burn scars that would never stop hurting. Their eerie howls would even bring a grown man to tears. They would savagely hunt in packs, playing with their prey in several ways before finally ending them.

"S'rude to just stare like that." He growled, baring his fangs at me in a firm warning. It was easy to notice the fire light inside him, his throat glowing like the last embers of a roaring fire.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude!" I hurriedly replied, praying for anyone to come and save me. I would even take Julian's mocking right now if he could just come and pick me up from this dire situation. "Y-Yes, I'm new here."

"You got a name?" He asked, glowing wisps of flame dancing around his yellowed fangs as he spoke. I could feel the warmth from his breath, even though I was standing a few feet away. I never had much experience with the more volatile types of Pokémon, like fire or poison, and I noted just how truly potent they seemed to be.

"It's Alex!" I yelped, failing to keep my composure. I was beginning to sweat, either from nerves or from the intense heat I was enduring. Just when I was starting to feel at home here, I realised that I had still had a long way to go before I could call myself a worker at the ranch. How did the others do this all day?

"Name's Amon." He growled, lowering his haunches somewhat but still glaring in my direction. I had never met a Pokémon who was so openly aggressive, and I was quaking in my boots like I was staring at death itself. "Calm yourself newblood, it's my job to look scary."

"Your job?" I parroted, wondering if I had just come across another Pokémon who played a vital role at the ranch. Julian had responsibilities of his own, but that was almost expected with his intelligence and humanoid stature. I had no idea what sort of part a Houndoom could play around here.

"I guard the front entrance for Thomas." He replied, straightening his posture militaristically. I had seen the same thing from Indra when he was first introduced to me, and it seemed that pride was a common theme that ran through canine species. "You never know who'll come knocking around these parts, so it's my job to make sure nobody's a threat to this business."

"So, you're one of Thomas' Pokémon?" I asked, slowly calming down from the fear that the Houndoom had instilled in me. My hands were still clenched like I was on a rollercoaster, but it helped to know that he had earned my boss' trust.

"Well, not exactly…" He let out a low chuckle, voice as gravelly as the pathway we were standing on. "Officially, yeah, he does own me. I'm not a member of his actual team though, my responsibilities lie here at the ranch rather than with him."

"But did Thomas catch you?" I questioned, not understanding what he was trying to say. I had only ever come across Pokémon who were blatantly connected to their trainers, and I wasn't even aware that there was a grey area.

"Course he did, but he made it clear to me beforehand that I would be helping around the ranch rather than being some house pet." Amon clarified, a small smile rippling across his muzzle. It seemed like he enjoyed having a purpose here that wasn't just for egg creation like the rest of the ranch inhabitants. "Thomas owns more than half the ranch Pokémon here since he has a breeding license."

I had never even heard of such a thing. It was an unspoken rule that most trainers stopped obtaining any new Pokémon after their sixth, since caring for any more than that would be physically impossible for most people. But from the sounds of things, Thomas owned a hell of a lot more than that. A breeding license must have allowed him to ignore that rule, and he definitely had the space to accommodate more than six. It sounded like Amon belonged to the ranch more than his actual trainer.

"Look kid, ask the big man yourself if you're so interested." He said, and I couldn't even remember the last time that someone referred to me as a 'kid'. This Houndoom did seem a lot older than me, and the experience he had was clear with the way he stood. One of his horns was cracked slightly, and the skin on his legs was pulled taut across the bones.

"Oh yeah, uh, I'm the new psychologist around here." I stated, thinking it was necessary for him to know. It would make my job much easier if some of the Pokémon could spread my name around rather than me trying to find them all individually. "So, if you need help with anything like that, or know someone who does, could you send them my way?"

"A shrink, huh?" He grinned, although the expression was nowhere near carefree. It was almost malicious, close to a sneer that you would see from a supervillain in a cheesy film. "You've sure got your work cut out for you here."

"What do you mean by that…?" I shivered, recoiling slightly at his ghastly smile. Surely Thomas hadn't set me up with a bunch of maligned Pokémon who would be impossible to talk to. I mean, what type of problems could plague them in the first place? I was more familiar with their innate behaviours than what mental problems they could have.

"Let's just put it like this…" He began while trotting closer to me. I fought the urge to run away as the satanic hound crept so close the heat from his breath was almost unbearable. "You'll be doing a lot more physical support than emotional."

The minute that he said it, I instantly remembered that this wasn't just a normal breeding ranch. I had been viewing my job like I was working somewhere normal… but I wasn't. I was a psychologist in a Pokémon ranch where the workers regularly had sex with the inhabitants. It wasn't just trained Pokémon like Leilana I would be cavorting with, but ones like Amon too.

"The word that you're new here, and that you're here to help, will spread quicker than wildfire." He predicted, looking immensely pleased with himself. "Sure, I'll send any horny ones who need some 'counselling' your way."

Before I even knew it, the Houndoom was gone from my sight, trotting down the path and kicking up gravel as he went. From the sounds of things, it was the Pokémon who instigated the sex way more than the workers. Somehow, Katie's job of 'playing' with the ranch residents sounded way less innocent now that I knew what went on around here. I had unintentionally just put myself out there.

Suddenly, like Arceus decided that I hadn't had enough interaction in the hour, Julian popped into existence right in front of me. Spots of pink light dissipated in all directions as he struck confident pose, clearly proud of his teleportation skills. Even though he could be stoic at times, he was in such a cartoonish position that I could help but laugh. He had opened up a lot since we had first met, and this was probably the true Julian I was looking at.

"I see you've met Amon." He snickered, no doubt noticing my nervous sweat and the heat that was still lingering in the air. "You'll get over how intimidating he is soon enough, I promise."

"I think I just accidentally let all the ranch Pokémon know that I'm down for sex." I laughed at the absurdity of it all, feeling at ease now that Julian was here. He was someone I could joke with and not worry about the consequences.

"Oh, don't worry, quite a few of them are already asking about you." He winked, beckoning for me to follow as he strode down the path in the same direction Amon was headed. We were roughly the same height, and he stood pretty tall for a Gallade. They were usually small and thin.

"So, is half the work here just satisfying the cravings of random Pokémon?" I asked with an exasperated sigh. I would need to build up my stamina to be on the level on the others, and I was entirely inexperienced with the poképhilia. Not to mention never being with a guy properly before.

"Basically, yeah." He admitted without shame. "Looks like you'll have no problems in the performance department if your time with Hannah is anything to go by."

"I swear to Arceus if you were looking through my eyes or some other psychic bullshit, I'll go ballistic." I rambled half-jokingly, giving him a harsh punch on the shoulder. I was surprised at how tough his muscles were, my first practically stopping dead in its tracks against his green skin.

"I didn't even need to be psychic to know what was going on, man." He replied, returning the favour with much more finesse. He needed to watch where his arm blades were pointed at all times, and I wondered if he ever thought they were annoying. Effective in combat sure, but a nuisance otherwise.

"Were we that loud?" I winced, thinking that Eloise may have been able to hear us. She looked to be engaged enough with Katie, but her hearing was probably better than most humans. I didn't want her asking what I was doing in that room until she was at least a couple weeks older.

"The walls in the lodge are pretty thin." He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck like he had learned that lesson the hard way. I had to duck slightly or else I would have been decapitated by the sharp elbow blades. "Oh yeah, I won't tell the others that you two are a thing for now. That sorta thing should be up to you guys."

Wow. Julian was actually keeping something a secret for once. I was still slightly wary about the situation with Wren, but he wasn't treating me any differently. I was afraid that he would shun me if I took in a Pokémon that had injured him pretty badly. He really was a good guy.

"Either way, I'm pretty impressed with you." He complimented. "Not many guys can keep up with Hannah, hell, even I was a little shaken afterwards and just look at me!"

Now that he gave me permission, intended or not, I took a long look at the Gallade to absorb all that I could. I had avoided looking at his crotch just out of courtesy, since he couldn't really wear anything to cover up his manhood. It was pretty ingrained in me to avoid looking at the dicks of random male Pokémon, but now it couldn't really be helped.

He was flaccid, but even still I could tell that he was definitely big. Since he was more humanoid than anything else, the shape of his shaft and head was exactly like a human's. The only odd thing was the colour, with the base being that same pure white colour that his stomach and legs were. The cock head was a deep green, like his upper body, and I took note of his complete lack of foreskin.

His lithe body was toned, and just because he could use psychic powers it was clear that he never shirked physical duties. His legs were thick with muscle, and while his arms were skinny, from my earlier punch I knew that there was a great amount of power behind them. I wondered what it would be like to be held by him, to be under him, to feel his… oh shit.

"When are you gonna learn that nothing gets past me, Alex?" He laughed, his broad chest rising and falling. The crimson triangle that was embedded in the middle shone in the sun, and was probably the same colour as my face as soon as I realised what I had just done.

"I can't help it!" I exclaimed, frustrated at how on top of everything he was. He was two steps ahead of me, and it was like he knew what I was doing to do before I even thought about doing it. "How am I supposed to just not think when I'm around you?"

"Did I say I have a problem with it?" He slyly asked, his green visor almost obscuring his red eyes. They looked through me with such intensity that it was obvious he was deep in my mind. "You don't have to keep your guard up all the time."

"No, but you've seen all this stuff about me, and you probably know that I'm not too experienced with guys, but I think you're attractive –" I spilled all my feelings, and now that it was in the open, it was clearly obvious that there was something between us. I flashed back to how flustered he got when I thanked him for staying close when I was unconscious.

"What would you think about me being your first…?" He threw the question into the air so blatantly I had to mentally replay what he had just said. "You're going to be doing it with a lot of male Pokémon now, so, better to be with someone that you know, right?"

"What, like right now?" I replied after a stunned silence hung in the air for a little too long. I really should have seen it coming with how casual he was being. He probably had sex multiple times a day, with Katie or without. This sort of thing was second nature to him.

"If you're feeling up to it, sure." He grinned while giving me a playful look, checking me out from head to toe. "I'll promise to take things slow so you don't get hurt or anything like that."

Of course, he was a top. I couldn't really imagine the prideful Gallade taking it from behind in any circumstance. I felt a little uneasy being at the mercy of a strong, psychic type when the most I had ever taken before was a couple fingers. I watched as he extended a hand towards me, green palm outstretched openly. Such a gentleman. Come on, Alex – he's being nice to you, just take his hand already.

Spurred on by my own conscience, I wrapped a nervous hand around the Gallade's and replied with a quiet 'yes.'

Before I knew it, my vision completely cut out. I thought that someone had snuffed out the sun and we had just been plunged into darkness, but as soon as it came, it was gone. The complete emptiness was replaced with tiny specks of pink energy flitting around my eyes as I resisted the urge to keel over. I was incredibly dizzy all of a sudden, and Julian's voice sounded like he was a mile away.

"You'll get used to teleporting eventually. First time is always a little rough."

I felt my feet finally hit land again as I teetered on them precariously. We were in a tiny building that I had never seen before, and I wondered whether we were even at the ranch anymore. Crates and boxes of numerous sizes littered the floor, and the room was poorly lit. I noticed that one of them had the logo of a popular Pokémon food company plastered over it, so we must have been in one of the storerooms stationed around the area.

"This is about as private as it'll get, I'm afraid." Julian said, giving me a small smile in recognition of the fact that it wasn't exactly glamorous. "The door is still locked, so nobody can come barging in unless they have a key."

"It'll do." I said simply, leaning on one of the crates for support. The room was still spinning slightly and my head was in a haze. It was crazy that Julian could just teleport not only himself, but other people he was touching, in what felt like an instant. He seemed to have it down like it was nothing special.

"So, shall we get to it?" He asked while looking at me seriously. My pulse was rising as I was about to do something that I had only thought about in passing. When you're a guy doing a girl, you don't really think much about how it'll feel for her, but now that I was only a few moments from taking Julian, from having something inside me, I would be lying if I said it wasn't a little scary.

Before I could answer, I felt something tugging at my waist. I looked down in bewilderment to witness my belt snaking its way out of the loops in my jeans, like it had suddenly gained sentience and was trying to escape from me. I was stunned, unable to move, as it rose away from my body and hung lazily in the air behind the Gallade. His eyes were glowing blue, like when we had first met.

"You really like to show off, don't you?" I sighed, feeling the tension leave the air. It wouldn't be Julian if he didn't take every chance to show how skilled he was. I had to remind myself that I wasn't doing it with some random Pokémon, but with one of my friends.

 _'Just trying to lighten the mood a little.'_ He projected, and I figured that he switched to speaking mentally just because it made him more comfortable. His voice was deep and echoed, making me shiver with anticipation as I felt more than just my belt rising.

He was pulling at all of my clothes at once, and I lifted my arms to let my shirt slide off above me. It was amazing how he could do such things without even lifting a finger, and it only took a few seconds before I was standing in front of him wearing nothing at all. My belt, shirt, jeans, boxers, socks and shoes were all floating in the air like they were submerged in water. I would have felt exposed if not for the fact that Julian had technically been naked this whole time, and I felt a strange sense of comradery as we both stood there uncovered.

 _'Never understood the point of clothes. They just get in the way.'_

All of my clothes dropped to the floor, the shoes hitting off each other noisily in their descent. It created enough of a distraction that I didn't notice the Gallade drop to his knees along with them, and I couldn't help but jump back a little as he grasped at my dick enthusiastically. He just peered up at me with critical eyes.

 _'I don't normally do stuff like this, but uh, I guess this is my way of saying thank you for saving me back then.'_

Without wasting any time, Julian lurched forwards and enveloped me fully with his mouth. My toes curled with how quickly he was going to work, and it was a completely different sensation than with Leilana. When she could barely even take half of me in her mouth, the top of Julian's visor was pressing against my stomach as he pushed himself down to the base. It didn't take long before I was as hard as I could ever get, and I could hear the cocky psychic type chuckle ethereally in my mind.

 _'I can still taste Hannah on you.'_ He noted as he began to savour me, his tongue curling around my length with ease. Even though he said that he wasn't very experienced in giving oral to guys, he could have convinced me that he was masterful at it. He sucked at the top of my head, trying to let any precum leak out onto his long tongue. No move he performed was too eager or forceful, as he carefully sunk his head down once again so my dick was reaching his throat. His eyes weren't watering. He wasn't even beginning to gag. His psychic abilities weren't the only thing he had experience in.

He brought a still hand upwards, carefully minding his arm blades, to work the base of my shaft intensely as he sucked. He was trying to coax all that he could out of me, and it went way beyond teasing me for fun. He was so intense that I could feel the beginning of something building up within me.

I tried to move my arms so that I could place my hands on the back of his head to guide him even further, but they wouldn't even respond to me. I was completely at a standstill, and my muscles were so relaxed that I was afraid I would lose my balance. This had to be Julian's doing, and it felt like there was some external force pushing against me, locking me in place. He was using some sort of psychic power to stop me from moving.

 _'Just relax, let me take the lead.'_

Even though his lip service was heavenly, he stopped before I came right there and then. A small strand of saliva was the only thing left connecting my shaft to his lips, and was it broken as he wiped his mouth coolly. He glared up at me lustily as he chewed on his bottom lip, and that was enough to send a surge of want through me. He stood up without warning, and placed his hands against my chest like he was going to push me away.

I felt myself moving backwards slowly, like I was being pulled by an invisible string. I was lifted onto one of the storage crates and sent onto my back so that I was looking up at the ceiling. My legs were splayed apart as Julian strode closer to me, and that feeling of being exposed finally hit me. He was obviously checking out my ass as he paused without saying anything, and I couldn't help but blush as he looked at my bare form.

I pre-emptively tightened up with anticipation, expecting him to press against me at any moment. But instead, something a lot more wet poked and prodded at my hole. He took one long lick upwards, sliding his slick tongue all the way up to my balls. I craned my head to see him give me a one-sided smile as he disappeared down again.

He drew his tongue around in circles, tracing my tight opening, and it felt like nothing I had ever experienced. His rimming was a lot more feverish than what he was doing earlier, so he had to have been getting more and more aroused himself. Again, he brought a hand up to play with my shaft as his tongue tried to push its way inside. Slowly, I tried to relax and soon enough, I felt myself widen under his deft mouth work.

I barely had enough time to worry about how clean I was down there before I felt him push himself to the limit inside me, his tongue flicking at my walls. It couldn't go in very deep, but it was more than I imagined that a human could manage. I bit my lip and tried to lean against him even more, but his psychic powers were still keeping me stuck in place. He eventually relented with his teasing, and I could feel his hot breath against my asshole as he gave it a final kiss.

 _'Now that you've loosened up a bit, do you think you're ready for me?'_

I looked back at Julian, and sure enough, he was rock-hard. He had to have been over seven inches, at least. I didn't care that it was way bigger than anything I had ever tried before, the lust bubbling up within me was pushing my rational mind out of the way. I had gone too far to stop now. I just wanted to feel him inside me. I just nodded slowly as I exhaled deeply. It was now or never.

 _'Tell me if you want to stop at any point, okay? I don't want to hurt you.'_

He was being so considerate that I couldn't help but show him a little smile. Everyone usually showed a different side in the bedroom, and I never would have expected Julian would have been the kind type. He was so complex for a jokester, and I had never met anyone like him. This ranch was full of surprises.

I got lost in my thoughts, as usual, so when I felt something that was not a tongue press against me I couldn't supress a little yelp. He was being so gentle and so slow that I wasn't even sure if he was moving at all. Sure enough, I felt a pressure begin to push against my opening and I doubted whether I'd be able to take him at all.

Fuck it. I thought, as I somehow managed to break through Julian's psychic lock and push myself down. He must have not been concentrating on maintaining it since he was trying his best not to cause me any pain. I practically impaled myself upon him, wincing painfully as a sharp sensation shot its way up me like a bolt of lightning.

Finally, his head broke through and we both released thankful gasps. I gritted my teeth, telling myself that it would only hurt for a brief time before it would start to feel amazing. I felt filled already, and it occurred to me that I still had so much more to take. Julian let out a shaky groan as I felt his cock throb from within me.

 _'Shouldn't-have done that… would've been better to just let me-'_ He huffed, no doubt having a tough time focusing on both the pleasure he was feeling and trying to talk with me. He could actually be really cute, when he wasn't being generally abrasive to everyone. Deciding to give him some thanks of my own, I slid down even further before it started to really sting again. 'Now you can go at whatever speed you want.' I replied.

It took quite a lot of trial and error, but we finally got to the point where he was buried to the hilt inside me. Even though he had stopped moving completely, I couldn't help but fidget and moan as just the mere presence of his large dick inside me made me squirm. It wasn't painful so much as it was just a lot to process, and I could already tell that I could get pretty accustomed to this feeling regularly.

I began to feel him pull out, and it almost felt like part of me was going to go with him. Before any of that happened, he slammed back into me, his thighs slapping against my ass as he moved the crate a few inches backwards. My head was starting to swim from just one thrust, and I was right in my assumption that he was insanely strong. I struggled to keep my eyes open, but I could see an entirely different expression on his face. It was similar to the way Hannah looked at me not too long ago. Lustful. Frantic. Wanting.

He held my legs up with his powerful arms as he practically tore into me. I realised that he probably couldn't take being gentle any more, and was just wanting release at this point. There was an intense mixture of pleasure and pain assaulting me, and I was thrashing against him to keep myself from being pushed off the crate entirely. He balanced speed and power so skilfully that he was like a piston. Katie must have been very happy with him.

He was pressing up against my prostate with every thrust he took, and I honestly thought that it was some mythical thing before this experience. It truly was as good as they said, and I was clamping my jaw shut so I wouldn't cry out and alert the whole ranch. It was such an unnatural feeling, that something used as an exit was being used an entrance – but that just enhanced the pleasure of the whole thing.

I was writhing and shaking like I was being tortured, and I felt so dirty and kinky for the first real time in my life. Sure, having sex with a Pokémon was one thing. But letting a Pokémon fuck you was something entirely different. I felt so defenceless, being under a powerful Gallade who was thrusting into me with reckless abandon, but I felt an intense connection with Julian. Not romantic, just purely lust-driven debauchery. This was what Katie meant when she talked about the wonders of open relationships.

Human and Pokémon were entirely equal right at this moment.

 _'Gonna- soon-'_ Was all Julian managed to utter before I could feel him tense up, his thrusts growing less powerful but more purposeful. The sensation of having his cock ravage me was sending me on a high, and even though I had already released a bucket load of cum today, my balls felt like they were about to empty completely.

In a daze, I released one of my hands that was clenching onto the crate for dear life and brought it downwards – tugging at my cock to bring myself to climax. Our groans both heightened in rhythm and intensity as I felt Julian throb powerfully within me. He gave a final thrust as he held onto me, his arm blades coming dangerously close to slicing my legs.

I could feel the warmth inside me as he came. He practically painted my insides white as he fell forwards, bucking his hips slightly in an instinctive way to fill me as best he could. The idea of him ejaculating inside my ass sent me over the edge as I shot my own load so powerfully that it covered Julian's chest. Strands of sticky, white fluid covered and hung from the triangular shape on his torso as we both shook in silence.

I had just been dominated by a Gallade. Julian softened while still inside me, and he took a few breaths to recover before removing himself. The embarrassing sound of air escaping made me go crimson as I felt myself gape slightly, the stinging sensation returning in full force. He smirked understandingly as looked down at his handiwork.

 _'Nice. You held up a lot better than I thought you were going to.'_

"That… was incredible." I panted, entirely uncaring that he was staring at me. I felt some of his semen dribble out of me as I tried to sit back up on the crate. My limbs and back were sore, but it was totally worth it. "Probably gonna be walking funny for the rest of the day, though."

We shared a laugh as we both calmed down from the sweltering heat. We were sweating profusely, with beads running down Julian's visor like drops of rain. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest.

"Yeah, you should uh, probably go use the toilet in the lodge." Julian laughed, and it made me glad that he wasn't shirking away from all the 'gross' stuff that accompanied what we had just done. "Don't want the rest coming out in a couple hours while you're working."

We were sent into a laughing fit, and it was nice that we shared the same dumb humour. It was strange that I didn't view him with guilt, or embarrassment or anything like that. Nothing had really changed between us even though we were just being intimate seconds ago. We were still joking about stuff, and it wasn't like I wanted to date him like with Hannah. Things could really work like this.

"I'm gonna teleport to the river and get freshened up, since you weren't entirely all roses and daises down there." He chuckled, gathering up my clothes and handing them to me. "Price you gotta pay, man."

"Thanks, Julian." I said, while in the middle of pulling my shirt over my head. I was still in the afterglow and feeling a little sentimental. "For being my first."

"Don't mention it, buddy." He smiled, while rearranging the crates so it didn't look like two guys had just fucked in the storeroom. "That just means you need to tell me about everyone you have sex with now."

"Deal." I answered, now suitably dressed. I clasped his sweaty hand for a promising handshake, and I was attempted to even go in for a brohug – but he still had fluid dripping down his front.

Suddenly, I got the feeling that I was being pulled out of my own body. Before things went black, I just realised I had completed the link for teleportation and braced myself for the weird split-second trip. Swirls of pink and purple crept into my vision as the storeroom shifted into a sea of darkness.

Then, I was standing in what I assumed to be the lodge bathroom. Julian must have just dropped me off on the way to the river, like some sort of mystical taxi service. I would need to interrogate him as to the ins and outs of teleportation, because it was quite concerning how casually he could use it.

The bathroom was immensely white and tiled, with the shower that Hannah must have been using dripping away in the corner. Shampoos, lotions, aftershaves and perfumes lined the sink and I couldn't even begin which belonged to my three different co-workers. I was facing myself in a giant mirror, and I looked quite worn down. Maybe a shower wouldn't actually be half bad…

Well, I tried to work and ended up introducing myself to a gruff Houndoom and fucking a Gallade who I now had a brotherly bond with. If work was always going to be like this, then I would catch up to the years of experience the other workers had in no time.

I was just prepared to walk funny for the rest of the day as I winced at the stinging between my legs.

So much for starting small.


	8. Plans and Promises

**Guest:** I don't want to spoil what Pokémon will be featured next! That's half the fun of writing this. I will say that you can expect ones that have been introduced already before Alex starts going for entirely new 'mons.

 **Reggie** : Even though this isn't posed as a question, I feel like it's important to answer this one. Let me just say this first, I love your idea! It's very well thought out and emotional, which I always appreciate to see. However, I won't be incorporating it into the story. Requests for what Pokémon others want me to write smut about is about as far as I will go for audience input. It's just a personal preference, as I want my writing to be reflective of my own skill and ideas. Lilycove is kind of a passion project of mine, so I have a clear idea of what I want to write about in terms of plot. Also, I already have plans in place for a 'secretary' character. The scary thing is that this character also has an Absol, and I've had this idea in mind way back since around Chapter 3! Great minds think alike, right?  
Thanks for sending your idea though, I loved reading it and its honestly well done.

* * *

"So, after getting stuck in Meteorite Falls for days, Julian and I finally managed to find the exit…"

The rest of my work day had passed by uneventfully, as most of it was spent having a long shower and getting cleaned up. I imagined that once Amon spread the word about me things would pick up a bit, but everything was nice and quiet for now. Eloise was snoozing on my chest as I cuddled up on the couch with Hannah, Katie was in the middle of one of her numerous adventuring stories, Brandon had taken to lying on the floor with Indra – and Julian couldn't help but grin at me from across the room.

In terms of the public status of Hannah and I's relationship, we hadn't outright stated it yet. It had to be incredibly obvious to them both, but Brandon and Katie hadn't really said a word about it. For now, we were all just happy to be in each other's company without getting into too much detail about our growing personal lives. Everyone except from Katie was in a tired, yet blissful state of half-awareness. The lodge was so cosy that I could have fallen into a deep sleep right there.

Sadly, Katie's story was interrupted by the creaking of the lodge's front door opening. It took all the energy I had to look over, but there Thomas was – standing in the doorway with that conniving smile clear on his face. It had felt like days since I had seen him, and I hated to disturb both Eloise and Hannah, but I straightened my posture to greet him. The room was alive again with laboured yawns as everyone tried to focus.

"I hate to drop in at the end of a shift like this, but I just wanted to see how my wonderful workers were doing." He began while striding into the middle of the room. I had no idea where he found the energy to be this peppy at the end of the day, but him just being here was enough to bring us all to life again. "Anything to report?"

"Yeah, boss…" Brandon answered, rising from the floor like some kind of zombie. Indra glowered at the fact he was no longer being stroked, but didn't speak up at all. "Apparently, one of the ranch 'mons got a little too excited and uprooted one of the benches. I'll be on it tomorrow."

"There was a little scrap between all the Nidorans that I had to break up, but they seem to be getting on well again." Katie added, looking a little disappointed that her wondrous tale was interrupted. It was clear that she looked back on her younger days with pride, and just from the little she told me, she had accomplished some impressive things.

"No eggs'll be hatching for a while, so I should be able to let up with the hourly checks for a week or two." Hannah yawned, resting her head on my shoulder like she couldn't even lift it up anymore. I was glad to hear that she would be able to take more breaks, because it was insane how hard she worked.

"Alex and I fucked in the western storeroom, but we left it even neater than we found it, so it's not as messy in there anymore." Julian snickered, and I would have jumped up over there and booted him in the face if I had any energy. Stuff between us co-workers was fine, but Thomas _was_ our boss, even if he was the most unconventional one I had ever seen.

"Jeez, you didn't have to hit me with that all at once." Thomas sighed, but there was a hint of laughter in his voice. It seemed like he couldn't be happier that all of his workers were getting along so well. "There's spare lumber at the forest's edge if you need it, Brandon."

I was glad that he was glossing over what I had done with Julian, as I really couldn't mentally handle being interviewed by my boss about how it went down. As much as I enjoyed working here, it was so close to the end of the day that I was getting antsy about leaving. I would have stayed in Hannah's room, but Eloise needed to settle into my actual house before I could stay nights here.

"Oh yeah, Alex…" He turned his attention to me, and I kicked myself for speaking too soon. "Amon dropped in to see me, and whatever you talked with him about, he only had pleasant things to say about you. It's good to see that you're taking your job seriously!"

Really, Amon had put in a good word for me? I thought that our interaction had gone pretty terribly, with me shaking like a leaf in front of him. I would need to thank him the next time we ran into each other, but something about that hellhound told me that he wouldn't appreciate being thanked very much. I mirrored Thomas' smile as thanks, as I was too stunned to really do much else.

"That reminds me, Tom." Hannah spoke up. "Can I go with Alex to get his trainer's license tomorrow? He's managed to pick up two 'mons already, so the sooner he gets all the paperwork done the better."

"Sure." Thomas nodded, giving me a side-eyed glance. I couldn't place what that look was meant to mean, and it looked like something between surprise and suspicion. "If the eggs are quiet for now, you're free to do whatever."

"Got any plans for the weekend, boss?" Julian asked, somewhat disheartened that his little comment seemed to go over his head. Serves him right for trying to rile me up. "Feels strange that Friday's tomorrow."

"What, me?" Thomas laughed modestly, almost like a dad who knew that he wouldn't be getting up to anything interesting. "Quiet nights in with the team, hopefully. Is there anything you crazy kids are getting up to?"

Now that the topic was brought up, I wasn't sure how weekends were meant to work at the ranch. Thomas was speaking about it like we actually got Saturdays and Sundays off, but that sort of thing wouldn't really work in our line of work. We were a small team in the first place, and the ranch would totally be barren if we were all to leave. Who would feed the Pokémon or handle emergencies?

"Me and Katie were thinking of throwing an-" Julian began, but was swiftly shut up by a sharp elbow to the stomach. Katie smiled and nodded like nothing had happened, and was entirely ignoring her boyfriend's pained wheezing. "Uh, throwing… out some of our old furniture. Apartment's cramped."

That was perhaps the worst last-minute excuse I had ever heard, and it was surprising coming from Julian of all people. I figured he would have been amazing at lying through his teeth, but not even a child would be fooled by that poor attempt. Thomas instantly knew something was up and laughed heartily.

"Well, whatever it is you're up to – remember and stay close to Lilycove." He smiled, playing along impressively. He gave off such a fatherly vibe when talking to everyone as a group that it was kind of scary, since he was so young. Even though he was extremely similar to us, it seemed like he couldn't shake off the responsibility of being a boss. "I'll call if anything goes down, so make sure you can get back here quickly. I don't want one of you to be in Mauville or somewhere like that if something happens at the ranch."

It seemed like he was saying that mostly for my sake, and I was starting to clue in on how things worked around here. Weekends we technically had off, but we had to be aware that we could be called back at a moment's notice – sort of like how doctors could be called late in the night if something happened to their patients. I assumed that Thomas would check in for us so that we could get up to whatever we wanted.

"Well, if that's it, I'm gonna get going." He began, spinning on his heel with so much urgency it looked like he was running away from us. It was funny, he gave off such a professional vibe sometimes but I could see the child-like excitement at the prospect of going home in his posture. He turned back and grinned over his shoulder. "I've got a hot date with my Mienshao."

A collective sigh was heard throughout the room as everyone could relax again. Brandon flopped back onto the floor with an exasperated sigh, curling around Indra lovingly. Katie shot a glare at Julian who just laughed nervously, and Hannah snuggled back into me while wiggling her toes. Eloise hadn't said a word, and had barely even woken up throughout that entire conversation. The excitement of all the new people around her had probably worn off and tired her out.

"Why do you guys hide things from Thomas?" I questioned sceptically, unable to stop my curiosity. I had noticed the tension in the air rise from the moment that he walked in, and it was nothing like what I had seen just a couple days ago. Katie acted like Julian was about to spill something important.

"Well, back before the ranch got really busy, he was able to join us in all the stuff that we would do together." Katie replied, looking quite sullen. I winced as I had probably brought up a sore subject and ruined the peaceful vibe that the lodge had going on. "He was a member of the group, y'know?"

"Yeah, but the time came when he actually had to step up and he couldn't be doing all the crazy shit that we do anymore." Julian added, giving Katie a reassuring rub on the back. They seemed to physically comfort each other a lot, and I assumed it was because they had been together since they were really young so they were rather dependant on each other.

"So, we don't talk about the details of our plans so he doesn't feel left out." Brandon said from somewhere below my view, his voice was quiet, like he was pouting. "We know he'd love to join us, but he's just got so much work that he feels like he would be wasting time."

I could feel Hannah tensing up next to me, and she was no doubt feeling awkward about the situation. She had been with Thomas the longest, and seeing him start to drift away probably hurt her more than she would admit. It seemed like this whole thing was riding on his shoulders, and he had to sacrifice his social life in order to keep this place afloat. I frowned along with others, a sombre atmosphere overtaking the cosy room.

"Can I do fun things with you guys too?" Eloise asked innocently, and I hadn't even realised she had been listening. Her tone was happy and cheerful, like she didn't fully understand the situation, but it was still endearing. I started to chuckle softly, and soon the room erupted with laughter.

"Sure thing!" Katie answered with a wide grin. My Swablu might not have noticed, but she had definitely saved the mood. Everyone looked glad that we didn't spend much time on the Thomas situation, Hannah especially, giving Eloise's head feathers an affectionate tussle. "You're a part of the group now too, along with all our other Pokémon."

"Is it going to be like what Alex and Hannah were doing earlier?" She questioned, causing us both to shoot up in alarm. I almost knocked Eloise off of the couch that's how urgently I sat up, and instead of laughing it off, I could practically feel my blood run cold. Her hearing _was_ good. "That sounded really fun."

I heard Hannah whisper a quiet 'oh fuck' as silence fell upon the living room. Brandon even sat up to witness the embarrassment on our faces, and Julian was stifling a laugh to trivial effect. Katie looked totally at a loss for words, for maybe the first time in her life. The very thing I was afraid of us was happening, in front of everyone no less.

"You two were mating, right? My mother told me that's how I was born." She explained, and I was so close to bolting out of the front door and never looking back. Of course Esther had explained the pidgeots and the beedrills to her daughter. Eloise turned to look at me with those pure, black eyes. "Did you make an egg?"

That confused question sent Julian over the edge as he exploded into hysterics, throwing his head backwards on the couch and laughing so heavily I thought he was going to start crying. Eloise started to laugh too, even though she had no clue what was so funny. Her stare could have drilled two tiny holes through me.

There was no way we could hide it now. If she hadn't asked those last two questions, we could have easily played it off as something else. But her accuracy was astounding for someone who had just recently hatched. I had an awful feeling that this would become a recurring theme, and her curiosity would never die down. What the hell do I even say?

"I tried asking Baxter earlier about it, but he just told me to ask one of you!" She giggled, flapping her cloud-like wings excitedly. At least she was enjoying the whole thing a ton more than I was. I didn't expect I would need to give 'the talk' to someone so early in my lifespan, let alone a Pokémon.

"Yes, we were." Hannah smiled, having recovered way sooner than me. I was still biting my tongue in fear of saying something extremely stupid. She brushed her fingers over a Pokéball on her belt, presumably Baxter's, and they tightened like she was trying to crush it. Someone was getting a talking to later on. "That happens a lot around here."

"Mother said that it's not just humans and humans, but humans and Pokémon too!" She added, pleased that someone had finally responded to her. I should've really seen it coming, since Esther was a member of the ranch. She had no doubt wanted to try and teach her daughter about the ranch life before she left the nest, and although she was just trying to be a good parent, she was putting me into so much hot water I felt like I was boiling.

"What d'you think about that?" Julian spurred on with a grin, and I knew that he didn't even need to ask, he could have just used some psychic ability to find out, but no. He was asking the question out loud for the rest of our sake, for my embarrassment. I was ready to strangle him.

"From all the weird sounds I heard earlier, I think it's really interesting!" She said, completely oblivious to Julian's less than pure intentions. I wondered if her naivete would ever fade with age, and I hoped to Arceus that the more experience she gained, the wiser she got. "I want to try it, along with battling, and lots of other things."

Yup. That was pretty much what I expected. The final nail in the coffin. Julian sat back, looking extremely satisfied like he had somehow helped the entire situation. Brandon was standing up at this point, full hands-on-hips mediator mode. Although he had adopted a helpful posture, his unsure face made it clear that he wasn't intending on helping that much. Even Hannah looked to me now, and since I was her trainer, it made sense that I would need to bear this whole thing.

"I'm sure you'll get to try it eventually." I vaguely answered, and I knew instantly that it wasn't a very good answer. To be fair, I wasn't exactly lying. Just from the way my life was heading, there was no way that I could shelter her from this sort of thing forever. Hannah and Britney said that I shouldn't worry too much, but I couldn't help but feel hesitant.

"Promise?" She asked solely to me, and stuck out her beak like she was about to peck me. I wasn't really sure what she was trying to do, but I stuck my hand out in front of her anyways. She nuzzled into my palm with her beak, and I scratched her chin lovingly.

"Promise." I replied. That wasn't too bad, and I felt as if I was freaking out over something that wasn't that big of a deal. In hindsight, it was better for her to know now while I was still new to the whole thing myself. At least she hadn't walked in on a co-worker fucking their Gallade out in the open.

"Well, now that we've wrapped things up, I think it's about time to pack it in for the day." Brandon said, his posture more relaxed now that the situation had played out well. To me, he seemed rather on edge whenever something didn't exactly go as planned, and I would often catch him stressfully cleaning his glasses out the corner of my eye. Maybe he wasn't as capable as he appeared.

The room began to empty sluggishly, with the muscled landscaper leaving first. Indra was nipping at his heels as he strode out the door, and he had such a wanting posture that I'm sure that all of Brandon's stroking had done more than just calm him down. I wondered how the big guy dealt with all the electric energy that his Pokémon gave off when their emotions were heightened. Julian practically carried Katie out the door, and he gave me a knowing wink before he left my sight. Seemed like everyone was getting it on tonight.

"It sucks that you can't stay here…" Hannah pouted, while drawing circles on my chest with her finger. I knew instantly what she was trying to accomplish, and even though I was wise to her tricks, it still had an effect on me. "I just want to cuddle with you all night."

"Just cuddling?" I laughed, taking her hand in mine and giving it a loving squeeze. Eloise looked at us both with a mixture of amazement and curiosity, which slightly killed the mood. It was like having your child walk into your bedroom while you're right in the middle of things. "Once I've sorted out the house arrangements with Wren and Eloise, I promise that I'll start staying over."

"Look at you, being all responsible." She purred, before giving me a small peck on the cheek. I could have just melted right there on the couch, but I had to steel myself for the long walk home. She would always be here tomorrow. "Just show up here at the regular time and we can go get your trainer license sorted."

With that, I begrudgingly left the lodge after a particularly tight hug from Hannah. Eloise was perched firmly on my head, her feathers creating impromptu earmuffs that stopped the cool night air from making me shiver. I could see the others far in the distance, and with a laboured sigh and hands deep in my pockets, I set off for my house.

.-.-.-.-.-.

The next couple of hours involved me trying to figure out how my bedroom would accommodate some other living being that wasn't me. I had managed to sneak her into the house without my brother noticing, and I assumed that was just because he had descended into an alcohol-induced coma. Eloise was chirping and squawking with excitement that she was finally home with me, and had already managed to knock down several of my figures. If anyone else did that, they would never be allowed in again… but she was just too cute to get annoyed with. She didn't take up too much space all things considered, but I winced trying to imagine Wren fitting comfortably in here along with her.

Luckily, in some uncharacteristic stroke of genius, I swung by the Pokémart while walking home and picked up a few supplies. I was technically a Trainer now, so I'd need to have the essential things on hand for emergencies and whatnot. The pile of potions, Pokéballs and other items that bled my bank account dry had been discarded in the corner for when I would actually need them. I probably could have got some stuff from the ranch without paying, but it was less hassle this way.

One thing I didn't account for was food, which was the far more important matter. It was already far too late to brave the outside world, and my legs were still aching slightly from all the activity I had been doing these past couple days. There wasn't anything in the house that either me or Eloise could eat, so I decided that we deserved a treat for our first night spent together. Pizza's not bad to feed to your Pokémon, right?

After the phone call to the local place who embarrassingly knew my family by name, there was nothing else to do but wait for the doorbell to ring. Eloise had instantly claimed my bed, choosing to scratch up and nest herself between all my pillows. I chuckled softly and laid down beside her, letting my head rest against her cloudy feathers as I took my first relaxed breath of the day.

"Today was really fun." Eloise said, after a comfortable silence fell between us for a few minutes. Her tone was different, much less energetic and cheerful but still positive. Now that she had time to relax, this was probably a much more regular side to her personality that I was starting to see. Everybody acted different when there were lots of other people around.

"What do you think of the ranch?" I asked with a gentle voice. My eyes were too heavy to keep open, so I just let myself drift off as I felt Eloise's calm breathing against me.

"Everyone there is really nice, even though I'm still new." She replied, a hint of laughter rippling through her voice. "I can't wait to spend more time with everyone, and you, obviously!"

I felt a sharp poke against the back of my head as Eloise's beak nuzzled its way into my messy hair. Her rough preening must have been her attempt at an affectionate kiss, and it was so cute that I couldn't help but smirk. She made my heart feel full, almost in the same way Hannah did, and it must have had something to do with the starter bond. She represented all that I cared about.

"You'll be getting company soon." I said, reaching a hand up to scratch under her chin. It would be best to tell her about Wren right now, and even though their personalities were extremely different, I had a feeling that they would get along. "There's someone at the ranch who I'm going to look after from now on."

"Already!?" She questioned, and that child-like excitement flooded back into her voice like it had never left. "What are they like?"

"He's a Sneasel." I answered, sitting up with a great amount of difficulty. I sat cross-legged and faced Eloise with a smile, feeling somewhat excited that the two would get to meet each other soon. "Wren is his name and you'll get to see what he's all about tomorrow."

I showed her a picture of a Sneasel on my phone since she would have no idea what one would look like. I was still coming to terms with the fact that she was entirely new to the world, and I would have to be careful with the way I explained things so she would understand them. It was like raising a child.

"Wren…" She repeated the name back to herself like she would forget otherwise. She fluttered her wings as she settled back down, leaving behind cloudy residue that I was sure would be coating every surface in my room soon enough. "I'm excited to meet him!"

Before I closed my phone down again, I spied a notification that just popped up across the screen. Lying back down next to Eloise, I wondered who could've been trying to message me this late at night. Opening the messaging app with baited breath, I was greeted with something that I really should have seen coming.

* * *

 _ **katiejewel**_ _has added you to '_ Poképhiles Anonymous'.

 **katiejewel:** totally forgot to add you earlier, but this the group chat where we talk about sex stuff

 **Shock &Awe: **It's not always about sex!

 **HannahSolo:** I can't remember the last time we talked about something that wasn't to do with fucking each other

 **katiejewel:** anyways, we're having an orgy at my apartment on Saturday as a sort of welcome party for you

 **alex_campbell:** I like how orgies are the equivalent to casual get-togethers to you guys

 **HannahSolo:** You should see what our version of a hardcore night out is

 **katiejewel:** that'll happen eventually, but for now I just want to ease you into things

 **alex_campbell:** Just say a time and place and I'll be there

 **Shock &Awe: **It's good that you're so enthusiastic about this sort of stuff!

 **alex_campbell:** What should I do about Eloise?

 **HannahSolo:** I think you should try and bang her before Saturday so she actually knows what she's getting into, and then bring her along

 **katiejewel:** totally agree

 **Shock &Awe: **Yeah, doing it in a quiet environment first is about the best thing you can do.

 **alex_campbell:** If you say so

 **HannahSolo:** Baxter wanted a piece of me the day he hatched, so don't worry about it being too early

 **katiejewel:** hannah, could you just show alex where my place is?

 **HannahSolo:** We'll probably be hanging out anyway, so sure I'll bring him

 **katiejewel:** thank youuu

 **Shock &Awe: **Be sure to bring a change of clothes and a toothbrush!

 **HannahSolo:** We all know none of us are that responsible

 **alex_campbell:** Can't wait to be really sore the next morning

 **katiejewel:** sorted! talk to you all later

* * *

I chucked the phone down onto the sheets next to me with a smile. It was the first time that I had made plans with anyone in ages, and the fact that it was a giant hook-up just made it even better. My life had been flipped on its head, and instead of feeling anxious like I usually would, I just had excitement burn away inside me. I turned to see if Eloise had fallen asleep since I was just messaging everyone else and not talking, but instead, her head was right next to mine. Her eyes were open. Like she had been reading my messages.

My eyes widened as her beak curved somewhat into the closest thing to a smile she could muster. Nothing about Pokémon ever made sense, but surely, they didn't know how to read English when they were new-born? Something about her pseudo-smile told me I just learned a new fact to add to the confusing list. She knew exactly what we were talking about.

"So, are we going to 'bang'?" She asked, and the fact she was using Hannah's terminology didn't help the situation at all. The innocence usually present in her voice was gone, and it actually seemed like she knew what she was talking about. They sure learn quick.

"Eloise, I'm not sure if you're ready-"

My hesitation was cut short as she leaned closer and pressed her beak to my lips. It was rough, cold, and the shape of it made it awkward to wrap my lips around – but she tried her best. I admired her bravery to just dive right into it. It was way sooner than I was intending, but she had pretty much answered for me. I did want this, and the spark that our connection made was the final push to make me realise it.

The cool sensation of her beak didn't last long as she opened it slightly, letting her warm tongue touch my own apprehensively. It wasn't passionate like most deep kisses I had experienced, but the gentleness with which she approached the whole thing was exactly like her. I had to remind myself not to go too far, as this was the first time I was dealing with someone who had no idea what they were doing.

I gently picked her up and leaned into the kiss more, letting my tongue slide across hers in attempt to reach deeper inside her beak. We couldn't do very much since our mouths were wildly different, but the feeling was still there. Instead of one massive wave of passion and pleasure hitting me, I could feel it slowly building up with each second. My jeans tightened ever so slightly as I shared a loving embrace with my starter. Eventually, she leaned back and clicked her beak shut.

"Did I do that right?" She asked, her beady eyes curved with apprehension. She was trying so hard to impress me even though she must have been feeling nervous about the whole thing. I gave her a soft smile as I set her back down on my stomach.

"Yeah, you were great." I reassured while giving her head feathers a tussle. My bed was propped up against one of the walls, so I pulled myself backwards so that I was leaning against it. It was about the only way we could properly do it, with how small she was.

"Does it prove that I'm ready?" She smiled, showing a form of sass that I had never seen from her before. I was treating her like she couldn't think for herself with how unsure I was about doing this so early, and that was going against everything I stood for. She knew what she was doing.

"We'll take things slow." I replied, while deftly sliding out of my jeans. I let Eloise flutter off of me as I took off the rest. I was beginning to become proficient in stripping off right in the heat of things, and it only took a few seconds before I was wearing nothing but my boxers. It was better to let her get used to how things went in stages.

Eloise looked at me with wonder, her eyes scanning every inch of my body. She first focused on my chest, before eventually being fixated by the only part of me that was still covered. I motioned for her to come closer to me, and she apprehensively clawed closer to my waist. She was intent on discovering whatever it was that made my boxers look like a pitched tent. Since her wings couldn't be used as hands in any way, I took the lead and removed the last thing covering me.

I still wasn't fully hard, but even in that state I looked massive compared to Eloise's tiny body. She fell silent, her beak hanging open as she was unsure of how to go about it. I was about to give her some pointers, but she took another step forward and brought both of her cloudy wings forward. Her feathers enveloped me, and I couldn't even begin to comprehend how soft they were. It felt like there was barely anything there, but they were so warm that it was infinitely more pleasing than a hand would ever be.

My dick held loosely in her cloudy grasp, she brought herself closer to inspect me even more accurately. It was natural, since she had never even seen anything like it, but it was funny how entranced by it she was. She sniffed, seemingly losing herself in my scent. As if by instinct, her wings began stroking me as I hardened under their ticklish embrace. Her black eyes peered up at me, almost as soft as her touch was. My body arced forwards as soon as she picked up her pace, and I couldn't help but grip the bedsheets to steady myself.

Thinking of a better solution than just fondling the sheets, I raised my right hand across her and closer to her backside. Her small size meant I could easily reach back there, and I could think of no better way to spur her on even further. My fingertips ran across her velvety skin, causing her to shiver with anticipation. They eventually found her entrance, and surprisingly, two of my fingers slipped inside with ease. She was far wetter than I expected her to be for her first time, and as soon as they entered her she cooed with pleasure.

Her grasp began to weaken even further as I fingered her, and she clamped her beak shut so she wouldn't make any more noise. She was extremely tight, I could barely move my fingers with how much she was constricting them. She was going to need to loosen up before we got to the main event, as there was no way I could get even the head of my cock inside her. I caught a glance in her eyes that belied her innocent exterior, and just that look alone was enough to send a throb running through my dick.

After a couple more minutes, she had finally managed to relax to the point that my fingers could move freely inside her. The anticipation was killing me, and against my better judgement, I paused and pulled away from her a little. She looked pleased with herself that she had managed to keep up so far, but something told me we were going to have a little more trouble with what was to come next.

"Next is the mating, right?" She asked. Before I could even give a response, she turned away from me and presented her slit with confidence. Her cloudy wings fell by her side, close to obscuring the pink opening that she was doing her best to show off. "I think I'm ready for it!"

I picked her up so that I could have full control of her body. We would need to go at a slow pace, but I was determined to please her since she wanted this so badly in the first place. Her talons went limp as she tried to relax herself as much as possible. I brought her moist entrance above my tip, and now that it was facing me, I caught a whiff of her scent. The animalistic urge was screaming at me to just plunge her down, but I managed to fend it off for the time being. A single drop of her juices fell to my head and mixed with my precum as I steadied myself.

I lowered her down carefully, my tip stretching her soft labia open as she whimpered softly. Eventually, my head broke through her hymen without too much resistance and I entered her. She moaned as I held her steady, and I was barely an inch inside her. Her intense squeezing stopped me from pulling out, even if I wanted to. Her walls gripped me with such strength that her wings would never match. It was like a vice.

My Swablu moaned as I let her sink down, bringing my hands to her head to reassure her. Soon enough, she seemed to be at her limit and I was only halfway inside of her. She had done well to take that much, and I felt like I was finally ready to thrust without causing her too much pain. Squelching sounds rose over her quiet chirps as I let her bounce on my cock, her wings fluttering uncontrollably.

Her walls were pulling me back in before I could even finish a single thrust, and I could feel her insides shift to accommodate my size. Despite how sinful we were being, I was holding her in a warm and careful embrace. She was my starter, and we were only strengthening our bond even further. I was swelling with joy and pleasure as I lost myself in the act, watching Eloise tremble each time I sent a thrust through her tiny body.

Her yelps grew even more high-pitched as she squawked my name. I curled my toes as just hearing my own name uttered with such love and lust sent me over the edge. I had only been inside for a couple of minutes, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I bounced her a couple more times before pushing her down and holding her there, letting my cock poke at what must have been her cervix. The realisation that I was so deep inside her sent a final wave of sick pleasure through me as my dick throbbed.

She clamped down intensely as I came, throwing her head back as far as she could while I pumped her full of my semen. My eyes were tightly closed as I emptied myself inside of her, the world seemingly spinning as my release was so powerful. I squeezed at her sides with my hands, not wanting to let go until we were both finished. As I spurted a final load inside of her pussy, I groaned and released her.

She fluttered for a second before she fell onto my legs, panting heavily and shaking. I opened my eyes again to see my cum oozing out of her stretched entrance as she lay there. Despite her tiny size, we had actually managed to finish. The others were right, there would have been no way she could have relaxed enough if we had done it with all of them around. I let her calm down for a minute before I took her in my arms, lifting her up to my chest and giving her a weak hug.

We lay in a blissful silence for a few minutes so that we could both catch our breath. I could feel her tiny heart beating like crazy against my chest, and it was probably the most activity she had done in her life. Tiny pieces of cotton-like material from her wings were strewn around the bed, and I grinned with the realisation that this wouldn't be the last time my bed got this messy.

"And… you all… do this a lot?" She panted in disbelief. It seemed like she could have fallen asleep exactly how she was right now, but she fought to stay awake so we could keep talking. She would still be fragile for a while, so we couldn't do anything that much wilder before then.

"I'm still pretty new to all this myself, but yeah." I replied more confidently. I wasn't as fatigued as she was, but just feeling her body heat against mine made me want to curl up with her and never move again.

"Wow…" She laughed. "I didn't think it would feel that good."

"I'm surprised you managed to take it." I praised, ruffling her head feathers with a weak hand. "The size difference between us is huge."

Before she could reply, the sound of a doorbell brought us both out of the heavenly afterglow. It took a few seconds for me to register that the food had arrived, as I had entirely forgotten about the whole phone call only a few minutes earlier. I swore under my breath as I dived out of bed, throwing on any clothes that I could find. Eloise was startled, but I didn't have time to explain that it was nothing to worry about. I darted out of my bedroom with a speed that would have put a Jolteon to shame, and pulled the front door open urgently.

"Yeah, uh, I've got an order here for Campbell?"

The delivery girl looked me up and down judgementally as she blew a bubble with her chewing gum, looking like she would rather be anywhere else in the world. She actually seemed to be younger than me, and I figured she was still a student at high school who was taking on a part time job. It certainly wasn't the guy who usually delivered the pizzas, and it was quite a shock to see someone different.

I confirmed the order while shoving a few crumpled notes into her hand, along with an assortment of coins that I hoped would be enough for everything. She didn't even check to see if I had given her the right amount, and practically lobbed the pizza boxes into my hands. Her car was idling half way up the pavement, blaring some obnoxious pop music. I hoped it wasn't loud enough to wake up my brother.

"Cool." She murmured, placing the money into the branded satchel by her side. "Enjoy the rest of your night."

She gave me a strange look, almost like a knowing smile. It was a far cry from how she had just looked earlier, and I was stunned to see such a change. I didn't even reply as she jogged back to her car, taking off before I could even comprehend why she had smiled at me like that. It wasn't very often that I got random people flirting with me, but the pizza delivery girl of all people?

That's when I noticed how I was dressed. I had thrown on my shirt entirely backwards, and even my jeans were totally inside-out. My lack of socks also pointed to the fact that I hadn't been wearing anything just a few moments previous, and it was obvious that she figured out I was spending a loving night in with someone. Little did she know, it was with a Swablu. I just stood, dumbfounded, in the doorway for a few seconds before I chuckled. It wasn't like I would see her ever again anyway.

Now that I had been on my feet again, the haziness of the afterglow had vanished. I returned to my bedroom with the pizza boxes under my arm, ready to tear into the food ravenously. Sex could work up your hunger pretty quickly, and I imagined that Eloise was feeling it far more than I was. She probably hadn't had a bite to eat all day.

We spent the rest of the night laughing in each other's company. It took a while for Eloise to figure out how to eat a pizza, but once she got the hang of things, she had almost eaten more than I had. It seemed like she would take on anything with a level of determination that I was clearly lacking, whether it be taking imitative in the bedroom or scarfing down a meal.

Eventually, we retired to bed together. As she lay beside me with her eyes closed and her breathing shallowed, I couldn't help but feel tears sting at my eyes. I felt a little stupid for almost crying, but it was starting to feel like my dream really had been fulfilled. This is what all the other trainers who shared my mindset felt like. Hannah, Katie, Brandon and even Thomas likely all slept with their Pokémon as well. Not in a sexual sense, but just for the simple reason of companionship. It brought a warmth that sleeping alone could never fulfil.

I gave a snoozing Eloise a final peck on the cheek as I settled down beside her. My life as a trainer was just beginning, and I would definitely need a bigger bed if I was going to accommodate my eventual team. For now, I just drifted off into slumber while cuddling my starter. We would cross that bridge when we came to it.


	9. Icebreaker

**Author's Note:** Once again, sorry for the long wait! I find it hard to write properly when I have essays and lab reports due for university, but I've been managing to get little bits done here and there. Since it's Christmas break now, I finally got this chapter finished. It's another long one, so hopefully this should tide you over for what's to come next. The wait should be shorter for the next one, but I can't promise it will be as long as this one is!

* * *

Waking up the next morning wasn't as blissful as going to sleep the night before. The responsibility of having to get my trainer's licence was weighing heavily on my shoulders. The realisation that I would have to fill out page after page of paperwork just to get a piece of laminated plastic caused me to groan and stay in bed with Eloise for far longer than was usually acceptable. The trainer life was supposed to be exciting and glamorous, so why was the first order of business being forced to sit in a stuffy room and listen to some person drone on about rules?

Hannah seemed far more excited about the whole thing than I was, mostly because it meant we could spend time together. I assumed that she would probably jump at any chance she could to get away from the ranch, if only for a couple hours. Her enthusiasm brightened things up a little, and somehow the long trek to the trainer facility didn't seem so bad with her by my side. With Eloise perched happily on my head and Hannah's hand interlocked with mine, I was looking forward to the peaceful morning walk we would share together.

That was, until, something entirely unexpected happened to the spunky pink-haired girl who was holding my hand. We had barely left the outskirts of Lilycove before our path was blocked by someone shouting excitedly in front of us. Eloise's panicked squawks and sharp claws caused me to wince as she frantically gripped onto my head.

"Hey, I know you from somewhere! You're Hannah Spiritt, aren't you!?"

Standing before us was a teenage boy with fierce admiration aflame in his eyes. His stance was unusually confident, and the bandage plastered onto the bridge of his nose made him look like he had just recently gotten himself into a scrap. His ripped hoodie was covered in mud, and his shins were red and raw – almost the same colour as the Pokéball he was brandishing at Hannah. He looked like quite the clumsy trainer.

She gripped my hand almost as tightly as Eloise's claws, and instead of greeting the boy with a confident expression, she gave him an unsure smile. It was strange to see such a hesitant look on her face, and my mind was racing to try and figure out what was happening. I had no idea that Hannah was well-known outside of the ranch circle, and her battling background must have had a far bigger influence on her life than I had first thought.

"Yeah… I am." She finally responded. The boy gasped as his suspicions were confirmed, and he looked at Hannah like she was some world-famous celebrity. "You probably know about me from the doubles scene a couple years ago, right?"

"Of course!" He replied, apparently not catching on to her unfriendly disposition. "How could I not know about you!? The way you crushed the whole competition with your battling partner was so awesome!"

Even though she was receiving praise from someone, it looked like she had just been slapped in the face. She had been completely caught off-guard, and being recognised had to be the last thing she considered would happen today. From the sounds of things, her and Thomas must have won whatever tournament that they had entered. If they had received a trophy, it wasn't displayed proudly in her room at the lodge.

"Look kid, me and my boyfriend are kinda busy here, so can I just sign whatever you have so we can get going?" She pleaded. Her eyes were darting around the area wildly, like she was checking if anyone else was around. Her frantic nature made a seed of worry plant itself in my stomach. It couldn't be good that she was so nervous about her past.

"Oh, I don't want your signature!" He laughed while giving me a passing glance. "I want a battle!"

She sighed tiredly as she let go of my hand, even though she looked like she just wanted to grip it tighter. I almost wanted to grab hold of it again, but I knew that wouldn't help the situation. Denying a trainer who challenged you was one of the rudest things you could ever do, and Hannah obviously didn't want to go that far and upset the eager teen. She took a deep breath for composure and stepped ahead of me.

"Fine, let's just make it quick." She answered begrudgingly. Even though Hannah clearly wasn't enjoying herself, I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious to see what she was made of. "Just warning you though, I'm probably going to win."

The boy grinned before hurling his Pokéball onto the pathway in front him, watching with glee as it cracked open when it hit the dirt. Spilling forth from the bright white light was a Vigoroth, who gave a primal screech as it leapt forward. Its black claws slashed at the dirt in a show of dominance as it smiled in a comparable manner to its trainer. I stepped back in surprise, not expecting such an evolved Pokémon to be under the care of such a young trainer.

Hannah wasn't fazed in any way, even though she was being extremely apprehensive just seconds earlier. She had obviously switched into battle mode, as she puffed up her chest and un-clipped a ball from her belt. She wanted to avoid a battle, but now that she was in one, she wasn't going to show any mercy. I wondered if this was a semblance of her old ferocity, back when she used to battle with Thomas by her side.

"Oleander." She whispered, almost eerily. "It's been a while, but looks like we're doing this again."

Clicking open the ball with a practiced flourish, she watched coolly as the light warped and twisted until it took the shape of a hunched figure. Her Toxicroak convulsed as he let out a laugh, his red vocal sac wobbling as it grew to almost twice its original size. He was intimidating in an entirely separate way, and I instantly knew what Britney meant when she had called him 'creepy'. His thick lips curled upwards as his spindly red fingers leaked a viscous, purple fluid. A single, guttural croak crept its way up from his throat as he churred the potent poison inside of his body.

"Don't let her get the first hit!" The boy cried, directing his Vigoroth with an unsteady hand. "Try and get close to use Slash!"

The Vigoroth screeched as it jumped forwards, barrelling towards Oleander with a primal intent to maim and rend. Saliva was flung from its jaws as it roared, and I could feel Eloise tense up above me. I realised that this would be her first experience of a real battle, and she could decide if it was something she wanted to pursue after seeing how this played out.

"Trying to get physical with a poison and fighting type?" Hannah laughed, and I was stunned to see how much she had changed. She was acting almost cocky now when she was quivering earlier, and even though it was confusing, I had to admit her sudden confidence was definitely attractive. "We'll see how well that goes for you."

"Sucker Punch!" She yelled, and before she could even finish her order, Oleander pounced onto the Vigoroth with an astounding speed. Before I could even blink, the Toxicroak had socked the enemy in the jaw with an underhanded punch and sent it scurrying backwards in pain.

"You're still as slow-witted as a Slakoth." Oleander croaked, his voice deep and quiet. It was unnaturally relaxed for someone who had just landed an attack, and there was a wavering quality to it that made it sound like he was supressing a laugh. "Evolution is just a physical change, after all."

Upon hearing the Toxicroak's unsettling words, the Vigoroth was sent into such a fury that it didn't even respond. Oleander was skilled at riling up his opponents, and I wouldn't have been surprised if that was a part of Hannah's strategy. The poison frog moved so purposefully it was like every movement had been calculated in advance, and I had never seen such a skilled fighter before. He was dancing around the pathway, avoiding the onslaught of attacks that the angered Vigoroth launched his way.

"Come on!" The boy cried, stamping his foot in frustration. "Use that anger to your advantage and hit him with Fury Swipes!"

The Vigoroth stopped dead in its tracks like it had been snapped out of some sort of trance. As if processing the command it had been given, it glared at the skilful Toxicroak who was still hopping around the battlefield. The normal-type waited for Oleander to finally pause before it ran ahead claws-first, intending to rake its target to shreds. The black nails it was brandishing pulsed with a red aura as it charged forwards.

"You don't even have to give me an order for this one." Oleander stated, looking back at his Trainer with a thuggish grimace. Hannah wasn't the only one who was overflowing with confidence, and I was amazed to see that they had reached that level of trust with each other. It was rare to see a trainer and Pokémon who shared such a bond that words meant little in a battle.

Acting completely of his own volition, the Toxicroak bounced into the air with his powerful legs and reached an insane height. He almost rose above some of the nearby trees and even the rowdy teenager was completely entranced by the frog's movements. A purple haze began to creep its way out of Oleander's clenched teeth, like a smoke that couldn't be contained. He grinned, letting even more of the purple gas leak out of his mouth.

The Vigoroth barely had time to react before a shower of poison rained down on its head. Oleander used the momentum of his fall to launch the rain of noxious liquid as forcefully as he could, and the Vigoroth stumbled backwards as it was struck with the brunt of the attack. The sticky, purple globs sizzled as they started to melt the normal-type's fur, causing it to reel in pain. The battlefield was filled with a chemical stench like it had been soaked in bleach.

Oleander landed powerfully, and his body once again shook with laughter that he seemed to be concealing. He even brought a hand to his face, covering his mouth as he couldn't contain his joy. His amber eyes shone like a traffic light as he took immense pleasure in watching his victim struggle under the poison's embrace. His snickering was apparently infectious, as Hannah was smiling so widely it was like she was sharing in the thrill of the fight.

"Don't let up, Oleander!" She called, cupping a hand to her mouth to ensure her words could be heard. The Toxicroak was off in his own world, almost fascinated by the damage his poison was creating. It was disturbing, the way he derived pleasure from watching another Pokémon in pain. "Just the usual strategy will end this whole thing!"

Barely missing a beat, he took advantage of the daze that the Vigoroth was in. The teenager was already resigned to his loss, as he had fallen to his grazed knees, completely in awe of the skill that was being demonstrated. I had little battling experience, and even I could tell that the two groups were on entirely different levels. The Vigoroth moved so clumsily and ravenously, it was no surprise that a more practiced fighter would come out on top. Oleander was just playing with him.

The Toxicroak sprinted up to the bipedal sloth who was still entirely occupied with the poison coating his entire body. Oleander took one final glance at the chaos he had created, before sending a single powerful kick to the Vigoroth's lower half. The frog's leg swept across the ground, and incredibly, was coated in the very same potent poison that was eating through the Vigoroth's thick fur. He sent a torrent of poisonous liquid arcing in all directions as his kick collided, knocking the defeated sloth to the ground. The normal-type slid on the poison with a howl as he was sent hurtling back to his trainer.

"Attaboy!" Hannah yelled, eliciting a hidden chuckle from me. She was being so enthusiastic and cheerful that I could clearly see she enjoyed battling, but that made her hesitance beforehand all the more confusing. "You've still got it!"

Returning his Vigoroth in a flash of red light, the boy's eyebrows were furrowed in anger as he sat on the ground. He looked at the Pokéball as if he was thinking hard about something, and for a second I thought that he was going to throw it away, but instead his expression was quickly replaced by one of determination. He finally stood back up and looked around at all the damage caused by Oleander's poison.

"I knew I wasn't going to win… but I think that this was good practice for us." He said, treading carefully over to where Hannah and I were standing. The poison would probably destroy his already shabby shoes, and I wondered how long it would take for it to dissipate. Oleander's poison had to be incredibly potent. "Your Toxicroak is incredible!"

Hannah deflated a bit as she knelt beside her Pokemon, and even though he didn't receive a single scratch, she still checked his body for any injuries. The difference between the two trainers was immense, with one stowing away their companion in a Pokéball without so much as a word and the other taking great care in making sure everything was okay. She didn't have the cocky grin on her face anymore, but the apprehension from earlier seemed to be gone now that she had finished the battle.

"It's just a difference in experience." Hannah explained while inspecting Oleander's legs. "You just need to work on your communication and strategy, and I did have the type advantage, so don't get too worked up over it."

"Yeah." He agreed, while admiring the Toxicroak from a distance. He seemed almost frightened of the imposing Pokemon, and I was a little unnerved as well. Oleander was a force to be reckoned with in battle. "You used that poison kick combination in the doubles tournament as well, didn't you?"

"Yup." She answered, her face falling a little as the teen referred back to the tournament. "It's just Oleander using the left-over poison from Sludge Bomb in conjunction with Low Sweep. It doesn't really do too much, but being stylish with your attacks goes a long way in competitions and tournaments."

"I'm definitely going to enter one someday!" He said, while pointing a finger at Hannah. She seemed rather shocked by his determined stare, and I noticed a surprised smile spread across her lips as she looked into his eyes. "I want to win like you did! The name's Joseph, so remember it for the next time we battle!"

"Make sure to work on your bond with that Vigoroth." She recommended with a stern stare. I could tell that she felt the same way as me, and it was clear that the way the teen treated his Pokémon could use some work. "If you want to win a lot of battles, then you'll need to improve not only your battling skills, but your relationship."

"Got it." He said, and I was glad that he was taking her words seriously. It was refreshing to see someone so enthusiastic about training, even if he was still young and rough around the edges. He would probably grow into quite a fine trainer. "Well, I've gotta get to a center quick so Hermes can get healed, but thanks so much for the battle!"

The teen took off with a spring in his step, and as soon as he was out of sight, Hannah let out a huge sigh and almost collapsed into the dirt. Oleander looked concerned for his trainer, and he placed a careful hand on her shoulder as she composed herself. The ever-present grimace on his face didn't disappear, but he croaked worriedly.

"Sorry you had to see that, Alex." She said, the guilt clear in her voice. "I thought my days of getting recognised were over."

I had to choose my next words extremely carefully as I knew that her past was a sore subject, but it was almost unhealthy the way she was worrying over it. It was clear that she disliked the fame that participating in a tournament had brought her, but she also seemed to love battling in all of its glory. It was the widest I had even seen her smile and the loudest I had heard her shout.

"I don't see it as something that you need to apologise for." I said, looking over at Oleander as he gave me an introductory nod. "In all honesty, it was fun to see you battle like that. I've never seen someone with that much skill in directing their Pokémon."

She finally stood back up and fell into place beside her Toxicroak. She ruffled at her pink hair nervously as she looked around the pathway again, to see if any other trainers had stopped to watch the battle that had unfolded. She patted the dirt off of her leggings before giving me a smile that was lacking in confidence.

"Yeah… it has been a big part of my life." She replied, scuffing her shoes against the pathway awkwardly. "I promise that I'll tell you about all this battling stuff at some point, but for right now I really don't want to get into it too much… is that okay?"

"Of course." I nodded, clearly sensing that if I pushed any further it would upset her. I knew that it had to relate to Thomas in some way, and I was already starting to get an inkling of just what their relationship was, but it would be better to let all this stuff play out on its own. I didn't want to ruin what I was building with her. "Take all the time that you need."

"Thank you." She said while giving me a much more confident, sincere smile. "Anyway, you've met Oleander now – who's kind of my partner-in-crime when it comes to crushing inexperienced trainers."

"Nice to meet you." He croaked, and his voice sounded like he was always on the verge of laughter. His body would shake occasionally with what was either a shiver or a snicker, and I couldn't exactly place which one it was. He was an odd character, that was for sure.

"Hi there – I'm Eloise!" My Swablu chirped from atop my head, who was seemingly unaffected by Oleander's unnerving mannerisms. I could already tell that she had thoroughly enjoyed the battle we had witnessed, as I could hear her gasp and cheer while the whole thing was taking place. "I can't wait until we get to battle each other!"

"I think that'll be a while away." Hannah laughed, finally returning back to normal from the interaction she had to endure. I had originally thought she was more laid-back, but apparently that was only when she was secluded in the confines of the ranch. Getting recognised must have been quite a scare for her. "We've gotta get you trained up before that, but I bet you'll be an amazing battler."

"I'm going to take that challenge seriously." Oleander laughed, his tone low and ominous. The red sac above his chest wobbled and inflated, and I could see a purple fluid flow under his skin, twisting and dancing like smoke coming from a cigarette. His biology was fascinating to me, and I wondered whether it would be rude to ask if I could study him.

"Well, that sure was a detour." I chuckled, thinking finally we should get moving again. One thing I knew about Hannah for sure was that she never liked to dwell on things, and standing still seemed to make her antsy. "We should probably get going, or else I'm never going to get this damn license."

"Hell yeah we should." Hannah agreed, extending a hand while Oleander fell into place behind her. It seemed like she wasn't going to return him now that he had already been outside of his Pokéball, and it was quite nice for us to be walking around with a couple of Pokemon by our side.

Eventually, we reached the towering registration office which was far too imposing than it had any right to be. Looking like quite the ragtag group, we received more than a couple confused stares as we entered the lobby, but Eloise just chirped happily at the strangers while she nestled further into my hair. There weren't any rules about having your Pokemon with you in public situations, so they would just have to deal with it. I brazenly flashed them a look of tolerance as Hannah led me to the front desk.

.-.-.-.-.-.

After a grueling few hours of filling out large stacks of paperwork, getting my photo taken while Eloise still insisted on perching atop my head, and a whole bunch of waiting, we finally emerged victorious. We were all weary and Hannah was barely clinging onto her enthusiasm, so we made a beeline back to the ranch where we could all collapse onto the couch together. Thankfully, we didn't run into any disturbances on the return trip. I could only imagine how upset Hannah would have been if some other random teen knew who she was.

I looked over the shiny piece of plastic I had received once we had a few minutes to rest back in the living room. Everything considered, it was entirely underwhelming. It didn't bring the excitement that I imagined getting your driver's licence would bring, and that was quite a surprise coming from me. Hell, I had wished birthday after birthday that I would one day become a trainer, but I didn't feel anything as I gripped the laminated licence.

"So, what else can I do with this stupid thing…?" I finally asked, rousing Hannah from her half-asleep state. My arm was behind wrapped behind her neck as she cuddled into my chest while we lay on the couch together, and I couldn't help but freak out a little that we were so close. It had only been a few days since we had even learned of each other's existence, but we were already so far into the Lillipuppy-love stage of our relationship it was scary. I doubted that I would ever get used to it.

"Aside from not getting arrested when you enter official tournaments or nature reserves, not a whole lot." She laughed, clearly taking glee in my disappointed face. I had wanted this license to be some magical pass that would open up my life, but apparently that wasn't the case. "It does serve as ID when you go out to bars or clubs, which I'm sure you'll be getting familiar with pretty soon…"

Hannah was interrupted mid-sentence as mud-covered Brandon burst into the living room with the subtlety of a Tauros charging through a pottery shop. His dungarees had been caked with so much muck that they were almost entirely brown, and you would never have been able to tell that they were originally green. He made sure to stand in the doorway, as to not track all of kinds of grass and dirt onto the rug. He looked at us with a cheerful, albeit guilty, smile as he rubbed the back of his neck with a blackened hand.

"Can somebody get me a towel or something?" He asked through his teeth, unable to stop his uncontrollable urge to smile. "Fixing that bench took a lot more than I had, uh, anticipated."

"Dammit, Brandon." Hannah laughed, dislodging herself from my side and cracking her back. Eloise squirmed next to me, as she was quite enjoying the body heat that both me and Hannah were creating. My Swablu definitely enjoyed being cosy. "You see anything while you were out working?"

"Yeah, I noticed that Sneasel was still skulking about the place." Brandon said, his tone shifting into something less light-hearted and more serious. I shot up in alarm because it was entirely obvious who was talking about. "I knew Thomas captured him, but is it really okay to have him just mingling with the other ranch Pokemon?"

"I'll let Alex explain, just hang on a sec while I…" Hannah said, disappearing into the hallway to retrieve a towel from the bathroom. She was still talking, but her words were so muffled that I couldn't make them out. This place had pretty good soundproofing for a lodge.

"Uh yeah, I've been talking with that Sneasel for the past couple days and we've decided that he's not a threat to the ranch anymore." I began, watching as Brandon struggled to remove his muddied dungarees. It seemed like he was disrobing to save himself the risk of getting any more dirt on anything. I wasn't complaining, if it gave me a chance to see more of his body.

"Is he gonna stay here, then?" He asked, finally getting his dungarees off which left him with only boxers and a half-dirty shirt. He didn't have any qualms about undressing in front of me, even if I was still a new co-worker. His legs were long and muscled, and I couldn't help but focus on his powerful calves. A kick from him could probably rival the one I had seen from Oleander earlier.

"Well, that's the thing." I laughed, glad that he wasn't getting too hostile about the situation. It seemed like people weren't trying to quickly blame Wren, even if what he had done was inexcusable. I imagined that Julian would be a different case, but Brandon was kind enough that he could see that the words I had said were genuine. "I kinda fell for him, so I'll be training him alongside Eloise now."

"A troubled soul who you want to shelter, right?" He asked, wiping the back of his hand across his cheek, leaving a brown smudge in its wake. He gave me a friendly, lopsided smile as he ran that same hand through his curly hair. "That sorta thing's common among poképhiles, actually. If you're going to take him in, then he can't be a bad Pokémon."

"Yeah… exactly!" I grinned widely, pleased that he was so understanding. I had truly lucked out with the people that I had met at this place, and Thomas wasn't lying when he said that he had carefully picked the people that were working here. "I think Julian will take a lot more convincing, but it'll be easier if we can all talk to him about it."

Hannah returned with the towel in her grasp, and held it towards a dirty Brandon at an arms-length, he sheepishly took the towel from her and began to wipe down his face and hands. That was definitely not enough to get him clean, and it was obvious that he would need a shower, but at least he wouldn't be tracking mud through the entire lodge. He discarded the towel into the pile of his dirty clothes and perched himself on the table in front of me.

"Speaking of Wren, you're going to actually pick him up today, aren't you?" Hannah asked, scowling at the mess Brandon had made in the doorway. She didn't seem genuinely angry as she shared a laugh with the tanned worker when they caught each other's eyes. "You should probably get on that soon. It'll mean Eloise gets another play time with Baxter too, which is nice."

Eloise squawked happily at the mention of her name, and I couldn't say no to either of them. It would be better to pick up Wren now so that I still had time left in the day, so I said my goodbyes and exited the lodge, slightly disappointed that I didn't get to see Brandon after he had come out of the shower. There would be plenty of opportunities for him to get dirty again with how hands-on his work was, and I was sure that we would be having an intimate encounter with him soon enough anyway, but my libido was still angry at me.

Shoving those thoughts to one side, I hurried to the usual spot where I imagined Wren would be pacing around. Instead of looking down at my shoes like I had done all my life, my head was held high and scanning the surroundings of the ranch. It was still astounding that I was finding new Pokémon everywhere I looked, and even more astounding that one hadn't sought me out and jumped on top of me. If Amon was being serious, it sounded like most of them actively engaged in the sinful activities that my co-workers promoted. I passed by a Snivy who seemed to take a particular interest in me, but I waved her off as I had other matters to attend to. All this other stuff could wait.

The edge of the forest was surprisingly empty, and the eccentric Sneasel was nowhere to be found. It was to be expected, since he couldn't just hang around all day waiting for me to stop by. Brandon said that he had spotted him earlier, but if I had to take a guess, I would say that he had retreated back to the forest. The other Pokémon that resided in there were usually asleep during the day, or minded their own business. Wren would feel much more comfortable under the cool shade where he didn't have to interact with others.

Feeling like an explorer navigating through some ancient ruins, I climbed over exposed roots and ducked under low-hanging branches to try and search for him. The dense undergrowth was tough to fight against, and I was attracting the attention of some of the forest denizens. The Noctowl I had come across on my first ever day at the ranch peeked over at me from the branches, and hooted ominously. A strange bravery overtook me as I paused to look up at the disturbed owl.

"Hey, uh, you wouldn't know where a Sneasel would be in this forest, would you?" I asked, squinting my eyes to get a better look at him. His head cocked to the side with interest as he likely was perturbed that I would even speak to him. "Kinda scruffy looking and small?"

"He sits by the pond alone most of the time." The Noctowl warbled in reply, raising a sleek wing in the direction of what I assumed was the pond. I felt kind of bad knowing that Wren had spent these past couple days mostly by his lonesome, but he told me that's what he wanted earlier. I would need to try and encourage him to move around a little more. "Good luck, Alex. He looks like he would be rather tough to crack, if you know what I mean."

Wow, word sure traveled quickly around the ranch. I had no idea who this Pokemon was, but he had already memorised my name even though we had never met. I wondered if every single Pokemon here was now aware of my existence, either thanks to Amon or just by common word-of-mouth. It would certainly help with introductions. But, what did he mean by tough to crack?

"Yeah, thanks." I replied, deciding to not even attempt to ask what he had meant. "Mind telling me your name?"

"Triton." He said, giving me a mock bow with his wing. "Thanks for asking."

With that strange little encounter over, I made my way to the pond and couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Whenever I had to deal with Wren, I felt my heartbeat increase and muscles tighten. There was just something about him that put me on edge, and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I had invested so much into that little Sneasel that I felt almost responsible for him, and now that he was joining my team, I really was going to be responsible for him. Sure enough, when I broke through the clearing of trees, I spotted him sitting on a flattened stone that was overlooking the murky water.

The instant I stepped forwards, a twig snapped clean in two under my clumsy feet. The sharp sound of wood snapping echoed throughout the forest, and it caused Wren to whirl around with alarm. His claws rose, and his eyes widened, but as soon as he saw me looking just as shocked as him, his posture slackened. He sighed and smiled widely at me, looking much happier than he did yesterday. He wasn't dirty, and his face wasn't matted with tears. He looked good.

"This area is beautiful, is it not?" He asked, looking around at the overgrown grass with fascination. I wouldn't have exactly called it beautiful like he did, but I understood where he was coming from. He had never been given the chance to see something as simple as a pond inside of a forest. "There is very little sound that can reach this depth in the forest, so the trickling of the water is all that you can hear."

He seemed so calm, so serene with his surroundings that it was an odd sight. He was sitting cross-legged on a flat stone like some sort of monk, and it wouldn't have surprised me if he had been meditating before I came through here. He must have come to terms with his situation all on his own, and his introversion was likely a result of his time spent alone in his Pokéball. He seemed entirely happy that he was free for maybe the first time in his life.

Not wanting to spoil the atmosphere, I crept across the forest floor on careful feet. The slab of stone he was sitting on looked stable enough to hold my weight as well, so I joined him leisurely. Now that I was seeing things from his point of view, the pond really was pretty. Even though the water was murky, the way that the vegetation had grown around the edges made the place look like it had gone untouched for years. We both looked across the water as I took a relaxed breath, content to just enjoy his company without the drama of the past couple days. I tried to hold back a shiver as his icy temperature was enough to make the hair on my arms stand on end.

"I have had many hours to think upon what has happened to me." He began, tapping a clawed finger on the stone slab to keep himself focused. He still had to strain for the words to come out properly, and I watched as his gaze delved even further down to the pond. "I am aware that I have upset many at this establishment with my actions, and even though that was not my intention, it is only natural that I should atone for them."

"You shouldn't have to apologise alone." I smiled, spreading an open hand across the rock just in case he needed to grab hold of it. "I can take to you see everyone properly once you're ready, if you'd like."

"Yes." He replied, sighing in relief. "I need to remind myself that I am under your rule now."

"I wouldn't really call it 'my rule', Wren." I chuckled. His idea of what a trainer was had been warped, and it would likely take a lot of effort to prove to him that we weren't some dictators that controlled Pokémon like slaves. Even if he trusted me, he seemed confused about what exactly his role would be. "I want my Pokémon to be free to make their own choices, and I will do my best to fulfill their needs. I only want what's best for you, and forcing you to do something goes against everything that I stand for as a trainer."

He looked at me with those familiar, awe-stricken eyes that I had seen yesterday. Wren seemed to overthink things a lot, mostly because he only felt comfortable when he was alone. It was just how he had developed, and there was no point trying to pull him out of that any time soon. Each Pokemon was unique, and he just happened to have more quirks than your average Sneasel. He seemed to calm down now that we had got to talking, as his incessant tapping had ceased.

"There is one other matter that I wanted your opinion on, Alex." He said, twisting his body and shifting around so that we were looking directly at each other. His posture wasn't nervous, but entirely curious as he paused, thinking about how to word what he was going to say next. "It relates to something that I had noticed while I was walking around earlier."

"Go ahead… I'm all ears." I nodded, wondering about what he had seen. Brandon had told me that he was spotted away from the woods, so maybe he had run into some of the more talkative ranch Pokémon. While that train of thought barrelled forwards, I suddenly realised about what some of the residents would say, about what goes on at this ranch, and I felt like my panic was about to shatter the rock we were sitting on.

"There is a particular scent that is common among all of the Pokemon here." He started, and as soon as he finished that sentence I became acutely aware of what he was talking about. His sense of smell had to be particularly accurate, and I had totally forgotten that he could have picked on even the subtlest hints of sweat, or other such fluids. "I am not familiar with what it could be, but I have realised now that I can smell it on the humans here as well. I can smell it on you."

I did everything I could to hold back a reaction. He had to have been talking about the scent of sex, right? The one that was so potent in the lodge when I had first arrived here, that Julian said they had to use a can of Febreze a week just to mask it. It wasn't exactly pleasant to discuss, but I couldn't just deny its existence. To him, a Pokemon with a great nose, it would have been difficult not to notice it. I had no idea how I was going to respond as I was too busy screaming internally that I had been thrust into this situation again. First Eloise, now Wren.

"Uh… yeah, well…" I spluttered, ruining the calming atmosphere that I was so quick to praise just minutes before. I had to think on my feet, and if I wavered any longer and failed to give an answer, then my trust with Wren would probably plummet. "It's the scent of mating. One of the things we do here is breed Pokémon for their eggs, so you're gonna smell that a lot."

"Ah, I see." He replied, somehow unfazed by the awkwardness of the situation. He was similar to Eloise in a way, as he was completely new to social normality and hadn't really interacted with anyone. He just didn't understand all these clues I was throwing down that I was uncomfortable. "Then it is safe to assume that you mate with not only humans, but Pokémon, yes? You have the scent of both around you."

I was astounded at the accuracy of his nose. I had showered this morning, so any lingering scent of Eloise from the night before should have been washed away. The fact that he could smell Hannah on me was even more frightening, and I suddenly became extremely self-conscious about what he could determine about me just from scent alone. I could never even begin to understand how his senses functioned. His shiny, black nose wiggled as if he was confirming his suspicions.

"Your nose is incredible, Wren." I admitted, throwing up my hands in defeat. Like with Eloise, there was no point in hiding now that my cover was blown. I considered just telling every single new Pokemon that wasn't a ranch resident I came across that I was a poképhile. It would keep things much simpler. "Yeah, I've had relations with both humans and Pokémon."

"I often pondered on whether such a thing was possible." He replied, looking grateful that I had just told him outright. There wasn't a hint of judgement in his red eyes as he looked deep inside mine. "I have had no experience in either, but if what I am imagining is correct, then I wouldn't mind…"

He trailed off, seemingly getting lost in his own thoughts. Even though he didn't understand how to have a normal social interaction, it looked like he understood what he was about to say wasn't appropriate. He soon realised what he had insinuated and shot his eyes away from me in a panic. He began to tap his claws again as he looked across the water, and I was sure that he had to be blushing under all that navy-coloured fur. It was like most Pokémon had an inherent want, or fascination, with breeding or mating, or whatever you wanted to call it. It definitely made sense from a biological perspective, as passing on their genes was one of the most important things to most species. Even though Wren was different in most respects, he seemed normal in that regard.

"It's not weird to be thinking about those kinds of things, Wren." I consoled, feeling like I was talking to an ashamed teenager who I had caught looking at a dirty magazine. It was a touchy subject, but even I was starting to get desensitised to the whole sex thing. This place really was changing me. "In fact, here at the ranch… it would be stranger if you had no interest in other Pokemon or humans."

"Since I was little more than a collection of thoughts in a Pokéball…" He started, fidgeting profusely as he sunk his fangs into his bottom lip. I felt things get a little colder as he seemed to emanate a nervous, frigid aura out of instinct. "I could not do… anything physical… so I had to, err, make do with my imagination most of the time."

At least he was aware of his urges and understood what everything meant. Eloise had no idea about anything sexual, but Wren held a basic understanding even if it was only from what he could think up. I felt bad for him, as he had no outlet to channel his frustration or sexual feelings. As a fellow male, I understood how vital masturbation really was to keep yourself sane during puberty. I had learned all too well from Eloise that Pokemon maturity was entirely different from human development, but the same general rules had to apply. Wren was definitely pent-up.

"Well, you've lucked out with this place and me as your trainer." I said confidently, almost encouragingly, as I understood that he needed a little push to come out of his shell. Tiptoeing around things like they were a problem would only make him uncomfortable. I made a note to let any other Pokémon that found themselves in my care feel comfortable to explore their sexual desires as much as possible. "There couldn't be a safer environment for you to figure yourself out."

"Would you assist me?" He asked, his eyes once again meeting mine with a genuine look. It was like everything about Wren was troubled, from his past to his sexual feelings. He must have been so confused for all of his life, and had nobody to share all of this with. No parents, or siblings, or friends, or mentors. "I know I have come to rely on you… but I do not want anyone else."

I couldn't tell if he was coming onto me or just wanting somebody to explain things for him. I felt deeply entwined with Wren's fate now, and perhaps that was where my feelings for him were starting to arise. He may have looked shabby, but that just added to his inexperienced allure. In the space of a single blink, I wasn't looking at him as some untouchable Pokemon who I had only come into contact with because of work, but as a potential partner I would spend the rest of my life with. I quickly realised things were going to escalate if we kept going down this route.

"I made a promise to myself that I would show you all of the things you never got the chance to experience." I stated, feeling my cheeks heat up as both of us began to blush more profusely. It wasn't exactly embarrassing or awkward, as we were so secluded it was like a world where only the two of us existed. "I'm your trainer, but I'm not going to force you into a sexual relationship with me. Whatever you want to do, I want to do it with you."

Looking completely flustered, Wren's imagination likely had gotten the better of him as he covered his waist with his claws. I realised that he wasn't only looking at me with admiration because I had saved him, but because he had feelings for me. If I was a beacon of light for him, then it was obvious that he wanted to be with me. I was flattered that he looked at me in such a way, and the way he was struggling to keep his composure was so cute that it made me lose the rest of my cool.

"I apologise – it has just been a while, and I do not really know how to go about this in a proper manner-" He rambled, failing to hide his desire. He was trying so hard to keep up the image of a respectful, refined Pokemon while he battled with his primal urges. Even though it was enjoyable to watch him get so flustered, I felt like I had better show him the ropes. The others would probably be spurring me on at this very moment, Hannah especially.

The overgrown forest made the perfect cover as I prepared to relieve Wren of his worries and stress, through one of the best ways I knew how. I couldn't help but smile dirtily as I shifted closer to the Sneasel, who was still trying desperately to hide his erection. If he was going to be my Pokemon, then he would need to learn to be comfortable with things like this, and it was my job as his trainer to teach him. I would just have to use a hands-on method.

Carefully, I brought both of my hands to his claws and pulled them to either side slowly. I did everything cautiously and gently to put him at ease, as I was still wary of upsetting in any way. We weren't going all the way, as there was no way that Wren could handle all that pressure and stimulation. A slow approach would work better with someone like him.

With his clawed paws out of the way, I finally got a look at what he was packing. Since he was more animalistic than Julian, his member was far more exotic than what I was used to. His dick was poking out of his sheath as it throbbed, and its small size was reflective of his stature. The base was a light pink, fleshy colour that grew in intensity until the tip was a bright, flaring red. He didn't even have a cock head, as his penis tapered to a thin point where the slit was located. A bead of precum was already on his tip as he had likely been aroused for a while. He couldn't have been more than four inches.

He placed his paws flat on the stone as he looked away, chewing on his lip as he let me inspect him. I could see his heart beating through his chest as he tried not to squirm. There was a strong, musky smell in the air which was similar to the one he was describing earlier, and that was starting to drive me into a frenzy that I had to contain. I couldn't be forceful, or do whatever I wanted with him. This was for him first, and me second.

"It's only fair that I show you mine now, right?" I grinned, trying to lighten the heavy mood. I had to show Wren that all of this didn't have to be too serious, as I had quickly learned that sexual encounters at the ranch often happened without warning. It didn't always have to serious lovemaking, just as long as it made everyone involved feel good. Hopefully he would learn that all of this smutty stuff wasn't a big deal.

I threw my all of my clothes dangerously close to the edge of the pond, which was quite a scare as I definitely didn't want to walk back to the lodge with either wet jeans or my cock hanging out. I sat in a similar fashion that Wren did earlier, letting the cool air caress my skin until I was fully hard. The Sneasel couldn't help but stare at me, as he had entirely forgotten about acting all shy now that we were both exposed.

"Are all humans that large?" He asked in a hushed tone, afraid that he was making too much noise, and someone would notice us. The Noctowl was close by, but I imagined he didn't care too much. "I feel rather inferior now."

"I'm an average size, actually." I laughed, causing him to chuckle softly as well. When I first met Wren, I never would have imagined we would be sitting next to a pond and looking at each other's junk. There had to be something magical about this ranch that just brought out all these lusty situations. "Don't worry about it though, I'm not the type that cares about stuff like that."

I knew just waiting around like this was probably killing him with how horny he must have been, all locked up and with no way to pleasure himself. It wasn't an aspect I first thought about when I considered Wren's past, but now that it had come into play it just made me want to protect him more. If he was going to be by my side, then he'd need to be as well-versed in all things sex-related as everyone else here.

Thinking that enough was enough, I knelt forwards and crawled towards him on all fours, and if any Pokemon were hiding in the bushes to watch what was unfolding, they would have got a perfect view of my ass and balls. Wren flinched, but held his ground as I came closer. Even being near him was enough to make me shiver, but I powered through it until I was right next to him.

"Want a look at my backside too, or are you okay?" I smiled, half-joking as I couldn't help but tease the inexperience ice-type. I felt like some of Hannah's playfulness was rubbing off on me. Wren looked puzzled for a moment, like he hadn't really considered it before and didn't know how to respond. "Better for you to get an eyeful now rather than later."

He just nodded, which was surprising. Maybe I was expecting too much of Wren, and he didn't seem like the type to understand when other people were kidding or not being entirely serious. I didn't want to exactly shove my butt in his face, but I had pretty much walked right into that one, and not being one to go back on my word, I turned around in a half-circle so that I was looking out into the treeline.

"And it feels good there too, yes?" He asked, and his frigid breath tickling against me made me suppress a surprised yelp. "I never would have thought."

"We can save that for another time." I laughed, and even though I wouldn't admit it, doing that had just gotten me more in the mood for what was to come next. I couldn't even use the excuse that the ranch was corrupting me, as that desire had probably been hidden away deep in my personality. Arceus, please forgive me for being so perverse.

I let him look over my butt for a few more seconds as a physical lesson of sorts. It was better to be thorough, so he knew what he was eventually getting into, and now I thought it was finally time to get to the main event. Re-positioning myself once again around the hard stone, I noticed that Wren's expression had changed. Now that he had received a good look at me, and things became more comfortable, he smiled confidently. It wasn't a lusty grin, but rather as a way to say thanks that I had shared myself with him so intimately.

"Are you ready now?" I asked, watching as more precum dribbled out of his tip and dripped onto the flat stone. I was surprised he could hold himself back for that long, as if I had gone as long as he had without masturbating or anything, my urges would be uncontrollable.

He nodded, and I brought a gentle hand down to touch at his member. Instead of feeling a familiar warmth, the moment my fingertips contacted his dick, they almost recoiled. It was cold. Not as drastic as touching ice, but it still shocked me that it wasn't giving off any warmth. It made sense, since he was an ice-type, and I only hesitated for a couple seconds before wrapping my hand around him fully.

He was squirming already, as the warmth of my hand probably felt heavenly against his cold cock. He let out a misty breath, as instead of getting warmer the more aroused he got, he began to get even colder. The stone slab we were sitting on hadn't warmed up at all, and even the water closest to us started crystallising as his icy aura mingled with it. It made it difficult to keep focused, not only on my own arousal, but on pleasuring him. Without any clothes on, it felt like I was about to freeze.

I massaged his dick. Instead of pumping my hand up and down frantically, I thought it would be much better to take things as slow as possible. I wanted him to savour every moment of my warm touch, and as his eyes closed in bliss while my grasp slowly worked its way down his shaft, the frigidness in his posture seemed to melt away. He wasn't all tensed up anymore, as he solely focused on my hand. I rubbed my thumb against his cock slit, coating his tip with his own precum.

It was my first time giving a hand job to someone that wasn't myself, but the same general rules seemed to apply. His small size made it easy to get my entire hand around, and whenever I reached the base of his cock, I tickled at his furry balls with my spare fingers. His legs twitched every now and then whenever I would speed up slightly, and his claws would sometimes scrape against the stone. He was being so cute that I could help but bring my other hand down to my own dick and tug at the sight.

After about a minute, I knew that he wasn't going to last much longer. It was impressive that he had managed to go more than a few seconds without blowing his load all over my hand, and I decided to reward him for his endurance. My hand paused at his base as I leaned forwards, getting onto all fours again. My ass was lifted for another time, and the chilling air made me tense up a little. Before he could react, I placed my mouth around his cock while continuing to massage the base.

I had never tasted a guy before, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant. As I brought my lips down against his dick, I brought my tongue forwards and sucked, trying to taste as much of his precum that I could. I began to lose myself in the musky scent of sweat and the salty taste of the Sneasel that was now my Pokémon. He almost slurred in protest when I began to suck him off, but as soon as he realised how amazing it felt, he swallowed down his words. Even with my warm mouth sealed around it, his dick still didn't warm up. I imagined this was what sucking on icicle felt like.

Now that he was beginning to reach his climax, I milked his cock as best I could. He started to buck upwards into my mouth, pressing my head against his stomach as I tried my best to hold my breath. Both of my hands were occupied, and as I was too focused on my own pleasure, I jerked at Wren's dick with the same force that I did my own. That became too much for him, as he gave a final laboured thrust against the roof of my mouth.

With little warning, I finally felt a warm sensation as hot cum burst from the tip of his prick. He groaned as he finally got the chance to unload his seed, and I tried to gulp as much of the sticky fluid down that I could. It was thick, and the taste was bitter, likely because he hadn't ejaculated for a long time. I barely got a chance to breathe beforehand, and I spluttered against his still throbbing shaft. I wasn't going to let myself choke, so I finally lifted my head back up and let him shoot the last remaining strands against my lips and chin.

I didn't get the chance to finish myself off, as the cold chill that Wren created was just too much for me to reach completion. We would need to work on his temperature control, as it would be pretty inconvenient for the surroundings to freeze over every time he got aroused. I could care less about climaxing myself, as the whole reason I had done this in the first place was for Wren to blow off some steam.

It had definitely worked. Instead of a face conflicted with emotion that I would usually see from the Sneasel, all he could do was pant and smile lazily as he tried his best to keep his composure. The red feather adorning his head drooped forwards as his chest heaved, and he had to grip onto the edges of the flat stone to keep himself from falling over. He had emptied himself completely, and the afterglow must have been so strong that he was having trouble staying conscious.

I wiped off the already-hardening semen from my mouth and laughed softly. Nothing broke boundaries between two people faster than a session like this. Even though I already felt close with Wren, as I watched him smile in contented bliss, my heart fluttered with joy. He was my Pokémon now, and even though things would be a little difficult introducing him to everyone else, I was prepared to devote all that I had for him. Whether it be helping him out sexually, or emotionally, I would do my utmost to keep him happy.

"So, since you're under my care now, we can keep doing stuff like that as much as you want." I smiled, leaving him to recover for a moment while I grabbed the pile of clothes I had flung away earlier. My loins were screaming at me for release, but I would get the chance to fix that with Hannah, or Eloise, or whoever wanted to participate. "A pretty good deal, right?"

"I d-don't know what to say…" He stuttered, watching me in awe as I got dressed. The area was still freezing, but the sub-zero aura Wren had been exuding has ceased now that he was in control of himself again. "Why… are you so accepting of me, even at a time like this?"

"Because." I replied, pulling my shirt back over my head with some difficulty. "We may all have our own quirks and troubles, but at the end of the day, we're all just as strange as each other. You don't have to be so self-conscious anymore, since I doubt anything you could do now would change my mind about you."

"Even if I have these urges?" He asked guiltily, even though just a few seconds ago he looked completely at peace. It seemed like he still wasn't totally comfortable in his own skin, which was understandable. Wren was the type of Pokémon that you would have to cultivate over a long period of time, not one you can train or influence in a few days.

"Well, those urges have just become a part of why I like you so much." I grinned encouragingly, nodding at him in acceptance. The shabby looking Sneasel with the torn head-feather and dull colours just seemed to get more attractive as the seconds ticked by, and I had definitely made the right decision by befriending him. He really was a diamond in the rough.

"Very well." He admitted, finally giving in to my constant reassurance. Even though he didn't think so himself, I thought that he was one of the most charming people I had come across, even if he was a completely different species. I just had to make him realise that. "I will believe you."

"Feeling better now?" I asked, now completely clothed again. I could still taste him on my tongue, and I couldn't help but revel in the realisation of what we had just done together. I couldn't wait to give Hannah all the details, and even though Julian had made me promise that I would share all of my sexual escapades with him, I was going to try and hide this one from him until we sorted things out.

"Yes, although it is a strange sensation." He smiled, trying to stand up on the flat stone with shaky legs. He wiped himself down with his sharp claws as he gave one final lingering look across the pond. I wondered whether we would ever use this area again, as it was one of the more secluded places at the ranch. "I feel much lighter on my feet, like an intense weight has been lifted once again from my shoulders."

"From your crotch, you mean." I winked, trying out more of my joking on the eccentric ice-type. From what I had gathered, Wren didn't really seem to understand the ins and outs of comedic conversation, since had been isolated from company for all of his life. Hopefully he would start to learn to be less serious and stoic when talking with others.

"That as well." He responded with an embarrassed chuckle, deftly jumping down from the flat stone onto the fallen leaves and twigs below. The sharp claws on his feet cut through the twigs with ease and sliced apart the leaves like they were thin paper. It was like he was made to be running through this type of environment.

"Right!" I clapped my hands together, startling the Sneasel somewhat. We had spent long enough canoodling in the woods, and I did have other people to see and work to do, so leaving Wren with Hannah in the lodge was the best option. I didn't even want to think about putting him in a Pokéball, as I wanted to keep the time he had to spend in there to a minimum. "Since you're with me now, you'll need to follow me to the ranch and meet everyone else."

Now that we were all calmed down and cleaned up, I lead Wren out of the forest and into the bright hills of the ranch. He still seemed apprehensive of the outside world, but now that he was by my side, he was brave enough to walk through the dirt pathways leading up to the lodge. He would be with me for life now, and my job entailed trekking through all of this land, so getting accustomed to this place was vital for him.

"This lodge…" Wren began, grinding to a halt behind me once the imposing building came into view. I had forgot how large the place looked on the outside, and to him, this probably seemed like a castle or palace. He grimaced doubtfully at the wooden structure. "Will the Gallade that I injured be inside here?"

"I don't think he's here right now, but this is where we all hang out on our breaks." I explained, watching as the Sneasel let out a sigh of relief. The guilt he felt about hurting Julian had to be crushing, and he was likely scared about what the imposing Gallade would do to him once they met. I knew Julian wouldn't do anything drastic, but it wouldn't be uncharacteristic for the swordsman to hold Wren in disdain. "Hannah, the woman you met earlier with me, and another worker – Brandon, should be the only ones inside just now."

Stepping into the building without another word, we soon entered the living room. A sparkling-clean Brandon lay on the couch with a fresh set of clothes, and Indra was curled up on the floor next to him. They both had their eyes closed, and didn't so much as stir when we came through the door. Hannah was actually awake, and was sitting on the armchair next to the large window facing the back garden. She turned with a shocked smile as she saw me enter with a nervous Sneasel peeking out from behind my legs.

"Everything go okay?" She asked, causing Brandon to groan in his sleep and snuggle further into the couch. It seemed like sleeping around the lodge was a common theme, and all of the workers likely didn't have that great a sleep schedule. At least I would fit right in with how late I would stay up sometimes.

"More than okay." I laughed, hoping that would get the point across about what we had done together. Wren was still extremely wary, and didn't dare take a step away from me as I stood in the doorway. I gave him a reassuring rub on the head, to the chagrin of my poor hand which has just warmed up, to make him calm down a bit.

"Awesome." She smirked, instantly understanding the situation I had implied. She shot a look over at Brandon who still didn't wake up, and she made a motion like she was about to throw a cushion at him, so he could meet Wren. He must have been a pretty heavy sleeper. "Eloise is still 'battling' with Baxter out in the garden, but he'll bring her in once she's tired herself out."

"Watching Oleander must have really put her in the mood for some fighting." I laughed, wanting so badly to go out and see what her version of battling was. I trusted my girlfriend's Minccino even though I had never met him personally, to be gentle with her. No Pokémon that Hannah owned could be bad, in any respect. "Poor Baxter… I don't think anyone could keep up with Eloise's energy."

"Meh… he's used to it." She shrugged with a smirk as she watched over the two Pokémon out in the garden. I couldn't see them from where I was standing, but I didn't want to move suddenly and leave Wren out in the open. He was almost as shy as Leilana. "It's not like he could battle seriously even if he wanted to."

"Anyway, I thought it would be better for Wren to stay around here today rather than in the woods." I explained, gesturing to the Sneasel who was shaking like a leaf by my side. He was intently focused on the Manectric snoozing next to the couch, and even though he must have understood that it was a trained Pokemon, it seemed like his time spent in the wild made him wary of any species. "We'll have to work everything out sooner or later, but for now, it'd be nice for him to stay somewhere quiet."

"I do not want to be a nuisance." Wren stated, remaining polite and respectful even though he had to be extremely nervous. He was rubbing his rugged claws together in an attempt to keep himself focused and composed. The room hadn't frozen over, so we were doing well so far. "But I want to make amends with everyone that I have concerned."

Upon listening to a voice that he had never heard before, Indra's ears perked up and twitched. His eyes opened menacingly as his fur began to crackle with static energy. The living room was filled with the shrill sound of popping electricity as the Manectric focused on the Sneasel who was as still as a statue. I didn't know how to get the intimidating canine to calm down, and I frantically looked over at Hannah who was equally clueless. The amount of power Indra was giving off had us all stunned.

Slowly, a calm hand was brought down to ruffle at Indra's fur. Strands of electricity were sent dancing up Brandon's arm as he rubbed at the dog's needle-like fur. Indra let out a low, muffled growl at Wren while still lying down. It must have been a warning of sorts, and I realised that the Manectric had to be extremely protective of his trainer. He was only being so aggressive because his master was asleep and defenceless.

"Shh… calm down, boy." Brandon yawned, trying to put his guard dog at ease. How he managed to tussle Indra's fur while it was alive with electrical energy was a mystery, as the hair on Brandon's arms was standing straight up and sparking. It looked like it should have been painful. "You're probably scaring everyone…"

As if realising that he had fallen asleep, Brandon jerked awake to find quite the scene. Wren looked absolutely terrified, and had taken a couple steps backwards toward the door. I had a firm grasp on one of his claws, even though it felt like the blood running through my hand was going to freeze. Hannah had stood up in alarm, looking astounded that Brandon had so casually quelled the thunderstorm that was Indra. He smiled, partly in confusion, as he propped himself up on the couch.

"He doesn't do that very often." He laughed, still petting the Manetric who had since dulled down quite a bit. He still had a glowing aura of yellow and blue sparks, but it had lessened in intensity as he was reassured by his trainer. "The Sneasel must have spooked him quite a bit when he woke up."

"Arceus, I thought I was going to have a heart attack." Hannah laughed, clutching at her chest now that the shock was over. She wasn't lying, as the electric canine was so fierce that I couldn't help but shiver reflexively. I knew that Indra was just doing his duty to protect his trainer, but it was still worrying to see such malice directed toward Wren. "He could rival Amon in terms of sheer intimidation."

"Aw, c'mon." Brandon cooed, scratching behind the Manectric's ear. Indra's eyes closed in bliss as he leaned against his trainer's hand, and his muzzle curved into a smile. Even the tip of his angular tail began to shake back and forth. "He's just a big softie under all that electricity, isn't that right?"

"You just scared Wren half to death." Hannah huffed, placing her fists on her hips in disapproval. I was too stunned to speak up, and still busy trying to console a Sneasel who looked like he would rather be anywhere else than inside this lodge. I had wanted his introduction to go smoothly, but things were never that simple. This wasn't even the person I was worried about introducing him to.

"No, it is alright." Wren responded while joining my side again. His bravery was admirable, as even though he was met with such hostility, he soldiered on to be polite and accepting as possible. If this was how he responded to conflict now on, then maybe I was worrying about how things with Julian would turn out. "I understand a Pokémon's want to protect and alert those that they are closest to."

"Ah, so this is the Sneasel I've heard so much about." Brandon smiled warmly, trying his best to bring a cheerful atmosphere back to the living room. If there was one thing that the tanned worker excelled in, it was making someone feel welcome. "The name's Brandon, and this little charmer here is Indra."

I had still never heard Indra speak, and it seemed like he much preferred to stay silent and let his trainer do the talking. Even though he was imposing, I somewhat understood what Brandon meant when he called him harmless. His cheerful demeanour had to have rubbed off on the Manetric, if only a little. They had been together for a while, so Indra must have learned to at least tolerate others while his trainer treated everyone with kindness and respect.

"It is nice to meet you both." Wren smiled, looking grateful that he finally being treated warmly. When I had first encountered the ice-type, I had thought that he was abrasive and difficult to talk to, but his true nature couldn't be further from the truth. He only had a rather complex way of speaking, and that was it. "My name is Wren, and I will be under the care of Alex from now on, so I hope that we can all get more acquainted as time goes by."

He had likely rehearsed that opening line, and it was so cute that it made me smile almost as wide as Brandon did all the time. Hannah seemed to think the same, as she suppressed a smirk while she pretended to be very interested in what was happening out in the garden. I couldn't blame Wren, since he was nervous about meeting new people, but he was acting like he was in a job interview, not meeting my friends. All he needed now was a suit and tie.

"You'll fit right in here." Hannah added, giving me a sly smirk to congratulate me on my recent sexual endeavour. It had to have been obvious to her what I had done with Wren earlier, and I grinned lovingly back at her. "If you enjoy fucking, then you'll be making friends quite quickly."

"Aw, nobody told me that Wren enjoyed getting down and dirty!" Brandon cheered, standing up as he couldn't contain his excitement. He was still soft-spoken even when being enthusiastic, and his reaction was so genuine that we all couldn't help but laugh. "I would've given him a much warmer welcome!"

Wren's eyes seemed to glaze over as he held back a sniffle. He was probably expecting to be shunned by my co-workers, but he was getting a taste of just how kind and welcoming they could be, Brandon especially. He didn't look nervous anymore, and his chipped-tooth smile made his face radiate the same cheerful-ness that Brandon was sending his way. I felt my own heart flutter too, as it was so nice to see Wren socialise somewhat. The room actually seemed to get warmer, as the Sneasel's icy aura had faded away entirely.

That was, until, the door opened behind where Wren was standing. My new team member was cast in a tall shadow by a looming figure. Everything happened so quickly, with the atmosphere of warmth being replaced by one of tension before he had even stepped into the lodge. His eyes were obscured by his visor as he looked down at the grinning Sneasel in a mixture of contempt and shock. He didn't move a single muscle as everything fell into silence. Everyone's laughing was cut short as we all realised at different times just who was entering the living room.

"What…" he began, arm blades starting to gleam as he finally looked up. His crimson eyes tightened with rage as they focused on my mortified face. "Is he doing in here…?"


	10. Lady of the Lake

**Author's Note:** Firstly, I want to wish you all a (slightly late) happy holidays! I had planned for this chapter to be released before the new year, but I didn't really want to work on this chapter through the Christmas period. I never thought that this little story would even reach ten chapters, but here we are! I just want to say thanks to everyone who's been reading this story, and to anyone who has ever left a request or review. You all make this fanfic worth writing. Expect many more chapters in this coming year as I have no intentions of stopping any time soon!

* * *

"Julian, please calm down!" I dived in front of my Sneasel who was starting to cower in the presence of the violent Gallade. I stretched out both of my arms to create a physical barrier between them both, prepared to lose my limbs if he decided to slash away with his razor-sharp blades. I had no time to be anxious or timid, and I was prepared to lay down my life for Wren like I had done for Julian when they had fought. "I can explain everything!"

"Explain what?" He spat, seething with anger as he tried to get a good look at Wren hiding behind me. His green visor was still specked with purple splotches from where he had been hit by Ice Shard, and I winced at the sight of them. He had a right to be angry. "That you've accepted a Pokémon who attacked the ranch and injured me, and was seconds away from killing you!?"

"Julian, quit being an ass!" Hannah shouted, stomping over to my side. Even though she had a thin frame and pink hair, she managed to adopt a sense of authority that I assumed she had gained from her battling background. She stood with her legs wide apart and unmoving, ready to block any movement that the Gallade would make. "Have you even stopped to consider what Wren has to say?"

"What could he even say that would change my mind about him!?" He retorted back, voice rising in intensity to match my girlfriend's. He leaned forwards and bared his teeth, intending to challenge Hannah. She didn't even flinch as their faces came dangerously close together, their glares crashing into each other. I had no idea that Hannah could be so ferocious. "This is all happening because of Thomas' shitty idea to capture him!"

"No, it's happening because of your awful attitude!" Hannah retaliated while poking Julian in the chest, managing to overpower the Gallade with a demonstration of sheer will. He backed off with a scowl, but still kept his dangerous blades poised and ready for a strike. He likely wasn't used to other people opposing him in such a way. "Take a second and breathe, then let's all talk this out like fucking adults, okay!?"

Somehow, Hannah had managed to diffuse the situation before it boiled over. Julian still looked ready to tear everything to sheds, but he stalked over and seated himself on one of the red armchairs. He avoided eye contact and instead glowered at the corner of the room, giving off such an unpleasant, unapproachable feeling that it was making me angry. Wren looked ready to burst into tears, and I knelt down in an attempt to console him. He too, pushed his head away to avoid my eyes as he whimpered.

Thankfully, Eloise wasn't present to have seen everything devolve into a shouting match. Brandon excused himself to check on her and Baxter, likely because he felt that this wasn't his argument to get involved in. Although, I suspected that it pained him to see everyone at each other's throats due to his kind nature. Either way, we were down to just four people in the lodge's living room. Hannah still hadn't left my side, and I felt like leaning on her like a crutch for support, but I took a deep breath and readied myself for the conversation that was to come. I had to be as strong as her.

The silence was unbearable. Wren looked like he so badly wanted to say something, but the words just couldn't leave his throat. Nobody wanted to start the conversation, and we were all at a complete impasse. Julian's dislike for Wren stemmed from the injuries he had sustained, and the damage caused to the ranch, but I suspected it went much deeper than that. He had once mentioned that he couldn't read dark types at all, and that unsettled him. If we could prove that Wren had good intentions, then maybe he wouldn't be so hostile. It was the first time that I had experienced conflict at the ranch, and I felt responsible for it.

"Julian, where's Katie?" Hannah asked passively, trying to get us all talking again without things being too heavy. She was acting like they hadn't just been shouting at each other a couple minutes ago, and I admired her ability to push her feelings aside for Wren's sake. This was all so he could finally have a place to feel safe, even if things were difficult right now.

"Just finishing off her rounds out in the fields." Julian responded, his tone dull and disinterested. If she had been here, then he probably wouldn't have reacted the way he did. Since they relied on each other so heavily, having one without the other must have left their emotions unbalanced. "She told me to go back to the lodge alone and that she would catch up later."

"You think she's tending to a horny Pokémon?" Hannah joked lightly, trying to put a smile back on the Gallade's face. I was afraid that she was pushing her luck, and that would only upset the angsty swordsman further, but she knew Julian far better than I did. I had to keep reminding myself that I was a newcomer to their circle, even if they had all accepted me pretty quickly.

"Wouldn't surprise me." He replied, trying his best to hold back a conniving grin. His mouth twisted as the scowl wouldn't stay on his face, and eventually he let out a defeated sigh as he smirked softly. He glanced over at us for the first time since he had sat down, careful to avoid looking directly at Wren. He couldn't stay explosively angry for very long, especially when in the presence of someone he had spent a lot of time with.

"Right, so let's try and work this out before she gets back, shall we?" Hannah smiled as she finally sat down next to me, confident that we could finally have a proper conversation without malice or rage. She gave an especially warm smile to Wren, which placated his anxiety somewhat. She was trying to create a situation where everyone could speak their mind and not be met with hostility. "We wouldn't want to upset her right after she just got some action."

"Okay, so uh, first… I want to say that neither of you are in the wrong here." I cautioned, voice barely more than a whisper. I was awful with these types of confrontations, as upsetting someone with my words was the last thing that I wanted to do. Hannah placed one of her hands on my leg, which was bouncing uncontrollably with nervous energy, as she sensed my uncertainty. "Julian, we're not trying to deny what happened here at the ranch, but you should at least listen to Wren's reasoning."

I gave Wren a gentle clasp on the back, and he had either started to become aware of his body temperature, or I was just getting acclimated to how damn cold he was. It made me wonder if all ice types gave off the same chill no matter their species. The type itself was relatively rare, so I doubted that I would get the chance to find out soon. Spurred on by my encouragement, he hesitated for a brief second before looking straight at the curt Gallade.

"You may view me as some… savage who attempted to ransack this establishment, and while my actions are reprehensible, I viewed it as a necessary evil which was crucial to my survival in the wild." Wren clarified, his flowery language leaving us all astounded. He looked up at Julian with genuine, pleading eyes while maintaining a very matter-of-fact tone. The Gallade instantly sat forwards in the red arm chair with a puzzled look on his face, clearly surprised at the eloquence that was being displayed by the scruffy Sneasel.

"You see, I was once under the care of another." He began, and I felt a sudden twinge of pain as all the memories of Wren's trainer came flooding back again. "And while I do not desire to reveal that information again, it can be said that I was not treated… with the level of respect that I deserved."

"I do not wish to assume things about your life, Julian, but if I was to hazard a guess, you were born in the wilds of this region, yes?" He continued, and he was so dedicated to telling his tale that he left no time for a response from any of us. Julian was completely floored, and instead of looking enraged, he just sat emotionless as he offered Wren courtesy to continue. "You have likely experienced what one must do if they are to survive effectively, even if those days seem but a distant memory now."

If I remembered correctly, Julian had been captured by Katie in the routes surrounding Petalburg. He had a life before he met her, one that must have been harsh at times. It was hard to view the Gallade as a Pokémon who once had minimal human contact, because I had gotten so accustomed to how sentient and intelligent he was. Even a psychic type like him had to hunt and forage for his food in the wild, and I noticed a glimmer in his eyes once his past had been mentioned.

"While the situation with my previous trainer was not luxurious by any means, I had not been raised to survive in the conditions that the wilds demanded of me." Wren winced, trying to keep his composure as he recalled back to the horrible state that we all found him in. Bloodied, covered in dead leaves and ravenous. It was a far cry from the small, almost pitiable Sneasel who sat before us today. Even though I had heard his story once before, it didn't make it any less impactful. "When I was left stranded here in this region, I didn't have the skillset to sustain myself."

"So, you were desperate?" Julian simply asked, looking almost embarrassed that he didn't have anything else to say. I couldn't blame him because if you had just viewed Wren based on the single action of attacking that Lillipup, then you would conclude that he was a dangerous Pokémon that should be dealt with.

"Yes." Wren nodded, pausing for a second to take a look over at me. I gave him a proud, considerate smile as he was holding up so well and he returned the gesture. "This establishment just so happened to cater to my needs at the time, and while that is no excuse for my vile actions, I hope that you can understand just how much people can change when necessities such as food become scarce."

"I get you." Julian admitted, gritting his teeth as he didn't want to so quickly change his opinion. "I still don't think very highly of you for attacking a human, but I know what it's like to live on the edge like that, where every day could have been your last."

His last point made me curious to learn more about his past. While he could just delve into every human's history, we had no such ability. Even though things had turned sour between us ever since Wren made an appearance, I still thought that we were on good terms. I wondered if it would be insulting to ask him to tell me more about where he had come from.

"I am not seeking for the two of us to become companions or comrades." Wren stated after looking shocked for a moment. He was being entirely honest with his feelings, and it was understandable that he didn't want to get very close to Julian. I couldn't imagine the two of them getting on well together, but as long as there was no ill will between them, that didn't really matter.

"Exactly." Hannah interjected, likely having thought the same herself. "You guys are a part of two separate teams with two different trainers, and nobody's asking you to suddenly love each other."

"You'll probably be seeing a lot of one another, though." I added, thinking things were starting to wrap up nicely. If we always believed that everyone could get along not just sexually, but in genuine terms of friendship, then things would fall apart pretty quickly. Everyone's personalities differ wildly, so there are just going to be some people that you will never see eye-to-eye with. "Just as long as there's no more fighting, then we can all forget about this whole mess."

"Yeah, I guess I was being a dick back there." Julian said, surprisingly bowing his head and splaying his arm blades in apology. I had never expected him to submit to someone else, but it just solidified the fact that the Gallade really was a nice guy. A little hot-headed, but passionate about the things he believed in. "I should have considered your feelings, Wren."

"You are not entirely at fault." Wren replied, dipping his head down to show that there was now a solidarity between them. His ripped head-feather flopped over and obscured a section of his face, and his eyes were closed in appreciation. "I must offer my apologies too, for causing you injury, and creating undue stress for everyone involved."

"That Ice Shard stung like a bitch." Julian grinned, reverting back to his trickster antics now that he had shown a moment of vulnerability. I was so thankful that nobody here seemed to linger on past feelings, and that they understood that letting things go was important. "For someone with little survival experience, your attacks packed quite the punch."

"I could say the same to you." Wren chuckled, and even though most his cuts had begun to scab over and become hidden under his dense fur, it was hard not to remember how beaten-up he was by Julian's Close Combat. "Although you must have experience that is far greater than mine."

"We all good now?" Hannah asked, clasping her hands together happily. I had noticed that she seemed to be energised by the people around her, as she acted much more laid-back when she was just with me. I wouldn't go as far to say that she was putting on act for others, but the way her mood was influenced by different people was definitely intriguing. She could be nervous to talk to people one moment, then be leading the conversation the next.

"Yeah, for the moment at least." Julian sighed, standing up slowly. He finally dropped his arm blades to his side, sheathing his dangerous swords to show Wren that he was no longer a threat. He gave my Sneasel a respectful nod as he strode across the room, regally passing over all of us to the door. "As long as he does nothing like that again, then there's not a problem anymore."

"Isn't Katie just coming back?" I asked, wondering why he was making such a quick exit. I couldn't shake the feeling that I got when I saw Julian's façade crack when his past was mentioned. It was subtle, but there was a look in his eyes that was sullen, almost regretful. Maybe I was just overthinking things.

"Yeah, I just…" He paused, green hand hesitating above the doorknob. "Need to thank her for something."

Leaving those vague words to hang in the air, Julian exited the lodge much more peacefully than he had entered it. Wren let out a strained sigh as he collapsed backwards onto the couch, finally able to relax now that his issue with the Gallade had been resolved. I was impressed with the way he was able to convince Julian with only a few sentences, and even though he was awkward and introverted, he had an innate skill with persuading people. He was definitely sharper than he looked, in more ways than one.

"That went well." Hannah commented as she finally took her hand off of my knee. She too, seemed more relaxed now that she swordsman had went to seek out his lover. I couldn't forget how vigorously she had assaulted Julian with her words, and she must have thought strongly about Wren's place here.

"Thank you so much, Hannah." I beamed, giving her a small hug. If it wasn't for her, then who knows where we would be right now. She had managed to talk some sense into Julian when he was angry, and got him to start talking again when he was sulking in the corner. I certainly wouldn't have been able to do that.

"Oh, stop it." She blushed, pushing me away bashfully as she didn't like to receive any praise. She was incredibly humble, not only when it came to her achievements in battling, but just in every day life. "Julian's just pretty simple, even if he seems all smart and mysterious. You just need to shout at him a bunch and then bring up Katie, then he's really easy to convince."

"It seems as if you have been through these types of predicaments before, Hannah." Wren noted, and it surprised me with how easily he was engaging in our conversation. I had expected him to quieten down now that we had solved the issue, but maybe Wren was trying hard to be involved in things. Even if it made him uncomfortable.

"Julian's very quick to judge others and jump to a conclusion." She replied, smiling at my Sneasel kindly. She was still trying her best to make him feel at home, and I had never seen her treat a grown Pokémon like one of the hatchlings. She must have viewed him as needing just as much nurturing as those who were newly born. "That's part of the reason why he's such a strong protector of this place."

Julian and Wren may have been completely different, but I still felt extremely grateful to the both of them. One had protected me and given me guidance when I had most needed it, and the other helped me understand just how to help Pokémon and form connections with them. It felt nice to call them both my friends, and the latter a member of my team. I wondered if I would ever come across a truly 'bad' Pokémon at this place.

Before I could think upon the matter any further, Brandon came in from the back entrance with a snoozing Eloise cradled in his arms. It looked like she had expended all of her energy and couldn't stay awake anymore, and even though I was disappointed that she wasn't conscious to meet Wren for the first time – I knew that they would be learning all about each other soon enough. It was better to let her sleep and recover.

Entering behind the muscled worker was the Minccino who I had been so curious to meet. He had partly been involved in the raising of Eloise so far, and I had never even spoken a word to the furry normal type. He was one of Hannah's trusted Pokémon, even though he looked rather young and inexperienced. More than that, he was absolutely adorable. He had massive shining eyes and ears larger than his head. His fur gave off the same sheen as Britney's and his tail swept against the floor as he walked, his stubby legs barely able to carry him.

"I swear, that Swablu is something else!" He panted, trying to slick down a tuft of fur on his forehead that was sticking straight up. The fur around his armpits was damp, and he looked uncomfortable to have worked up such a sweat. Minccino never liked to be dirty or disorganised. Even still, he maintained a cute smile.

I was handed the Swablu he was referring to, and she immediately cuddled into my lap without a word. I had never met someone who could have slept through being carried like that, but Eloise seemed completely exhausted. Her cloudy wings were looking less puffy as she had likely lost some of her feathers while play fighting with Baxter. I gave her chin a loving scratch as I wanted to let her sleep as much as she wanted.

"Have you seen her use any moves yet?" Hannah asked, patting the tiny space next to her for the Minccino to sit on. The couch was getting cramped, with everyone in the room but Brandon choosing to use it. The tanned worker ducked into the kitchen, going about his business without disturbing us too much. Baxter climbed up the couch with great difficulty until he was finally sitting against the armrest.

"I think she might've used Peck!" He exclaimed happily, tail swishing against the couch as Hannah patted down his front. Some of his long, grey fur had become matted with all the tackling and dodging he had done. He seemed to enjoy being groomed, and it wouldn't have surprised me if she had a special brush that she used just for him. "I couldn't be sure though, since even just normal attacks with her beak hurt already."

"It's good practice for you." Hannah said, while lovingly patting her Minccino on the head with her other hand. It was really cute the way she was fawning over him, and she treated each of her team members with the same level of respect an attention. Even though he wasn't fuzzy and adorable, the way she tended to Oleander was exactly the same. "I know you can't use proper attacks on her yet since she's still young, but she's probably helping you improve your dodging skills."

"Alex, whenever Eloise says she wants to battle, just let me know!" He giggled, raising both of his fists and flexing in a meagre attempt to show off his toughness. He was certainly enthusiastic about having someone to spar with, and it was nice that he was either on the same experience level as Eloise, or just slightly higher. "I'm happy to help!"

I thought he would be quiet, since most small normal types usually were. Instead, he seemed to be constantly positive and wanting to prove himself. I imagined it was because he was a member of Hannah's team, which boasted some powerful Pokémon. His energy would certainly be useful when dealing with my hyper Swablu, so I nodded at the shining chinchilla with vigour.

"I'd love to watch the two of you fight." I encouraged, watching as Hannah finally got the last tug unravelled from his coat. She turned back to the rest of us with a tuft of grey fur in her hands with a smirk, and left the cosy couch to go and dispose of it. "With you as her partner, I'm sure she'd learn quickly."

"She's really cute too!" He laughed, apparently finding a reason to laugh in every word that I had said. He really was like a little ball of sunshine, and I could see why Hannah had taken a shine to him. He balanced out the more questionable Pokémon on her team, like Oleander. "Clueless types like her really get me going, so I wouldn't mind giving her some extra lessons, if you know what I mean!"

I heard a stifled chortle from Brandon in the kitchen and the sound of cutlery clattering to the floor, and I was so startled that I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief as well. Those words just didn't sound right coming from the lips of a cute Minccino, and he gave me a knowing grin that left me entirely speechless. There it was, the sign that he was a member of Hannah's team. I knew he had to have a strange quirk in there somewhere.

"Oh yeah, Baxter's also probably the friskiest member of my team, aside from Britney." Hannah said, returning with empty hands. She stopped to admire the little devil she had created with a sigh as the Minccino gave another innocent laugh, but I now knew that it was tinged with a less wholesome meaning. Wren looked just as astounded as I was. "It's kind of my own fault, since he doesn't really know any better."

I felt like I was staring at a future version of Eloise, if this was what Pokémon who had sexual experience right from when they were born looked like. Baxter flashed me a confident, charming smile as he tried his best to impress me. Maybe he wouldn't have such a good influence on my Swablu as I had originally thought, but I couldn't exactly say no to him now.

"I think this establishment will be the death of me." Wren whispered with wide eyes, and the fact that he was feeling comfortable enough to make a joke was both heart-warming and hilarious. The room erupted with laughter, Eloise still somehow sleeping through all of the noise, causing the Sneasel to blush furiously. I was definitely right about the ranch bringing out the best in everyone, even if things had gotten a little complicated recently.

.-.-.-.-.-.

It took about an hour before I remembered that I actually had work to be doing. The way Thomas ran his business definitely had its benefits, but it was hard to actually do your job when there wasn't someone barking orders at you. Hannah had finally pushed me out the door with the promise that she would look after Wren and Eloise, and I was left out in the unbearable summer heat. Autumn was fast approaching, but it certainly didn't feel like it. I envied the ranch Pokémon and their lack of clothes, although I imagined that the fire types and the furrier species were probably melting.

I picked a random direction and just starting walking, kicking up arid dust as I traversed the ranch's many winding pathways. If there was a map of this place, I definitely hadn't seen it yet. Everything was spread so far apart that it took forever just to get anywhere, as most of the space was taken up by rolling hills and barren plains. It was nice that the residents had so much room to run around and play in, but my ankles were screaming at me to sit down and take a break. The fitness of everyone here was beginning to make sense.

I was going to talk with the first Pokémon I came across, no matter who it was. I had to keep reminding myself that it was my job to get to know them, as it didn't exactly feel like working. Even though social interaction was incredibly taxing for me, I didn't have any physical duties like the other workers did. I should learn to how feed the residents, just so I could be useful in some way. All I was doing was trying to make friends while everyone else busted their asses.

Eventually, I found myself standing on the edge of a huge lake, looking across the tiny ripples and waves as my unkempt hair wildly whipped at my face. I hadn't even realised that I had walked so far north, and I must have been right next to the huge body of water I had seen on my first day here. Compared to the tiny, stagnant pond in the forest, this place was like a paradise. The water was incredibly clear for a river, like some of the sparkling sea water in Lilycove was flowing into it. I could even see obscured shadows dancing and weaving around in the water, likely the activity of the aquatic ranch residents.

I wondered how much money Thomas had spent just for this one area, as an artificial lake sounded crazy to construct. It wouldn't be impossible, since we were so close to a water source, but somehow connecting this place to Lilycove's sea must have taken a lot of time and resources. Thomas would have had to hire a construction company just to accomplish it. In fact, how long had this ranch been in the works?

"It's not often that people come all the way up here." I heard an elegant, female voice echo from somewhere next to me. I hadn't heard anyone walk close to me or anything like that, so when the voice suddenly spoke it caused me to take a startled few steps backwards. It sounded so perfectly divine even over the sound of the waves and wind.

Coiled next to me was a dripping Milotic, her sodden scales sparkling in the sunlight. She lay there amidst the grass like it was nothing, and I couldn't help but marvel at the sight of such a rare Pokémon. I had gotten accustomed to seeing much more common species around the ranch, but I had only ever heard stories or read textbook entries about this elusive one. There was one right in front of me, waiting for me to respond. I was so awestruck that I just stared at her snake-like form like an idiot.

"Uh, yeah." I responded dumbly, eliciting a pitiful chuckle from the water-type. The sleek red feelers above her eyes bobbed along with her laughs as she shook off the remaining water from her reflective scales. "I hadn't been up here properly, and I wanted to see the lake."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, sighing as her eyes fell upon the horizon. The sun was just starting to dip down, casting an orange glow across the gentle waves. I would have been nervous at being close to such an uncommon Pokémon, but the sight put me at ease as I let my shoulders relax. "I see this sight almost every day, yet it never ceases to be amazing."

"Thomas must have spent a fortune to form a lake like this." I answered, sneaking another peek at the serpentine female lying across from me. Her body was so long that I couldn't tell where it actually ended, but she was definitely more than ten feet long. She was almost as intimidating as she was beautiful.

"Yes." She responded, her tender voice soft and clear. "Although, he wouldn't have accomplished the construction of this area without the aid of myself and the other water Pokémon."

"You helped build all this?" I questioned, shocked that I had come across another vital member of the ranch. Thomas had an odd form of hiring workers, as half of them seemed to be Pokémon that he had captured for the reason of building this place. It made me wonder just how many were simple residents of this place, and how many were involved in the actual success of the business.

"Oh, how silly of me – I forgot to introduce myself." She laughed again, starting to uncoil her rope-like form as she rose upwards. Her tail flicked water droplets in my direction, the scales looking almost like a stained-glass window. "My name is Evienne, and people here refer to me as the Lady of the Lake."

"Lady… of the Lake?" I repeated, puzzled at the title. It sounded like something out of a storybook or a fairy-tale, and I felt like I was in the presence of some princess. Her royal demeanour was strange, although it was befitting of such a rare and alluring species.

"I believe the Gallade that works here – Julian – gave me that moniker, and it just so happened to be adopted by everyone else." She smiled, taking pride in the title that had been bestowed upon her. Julian was probably joking around with her by giving her that name, but she had decided to take it seriously. It did give her a mystical presence that was impressive. "I've been employed at this ranch since its inception, to oversee and maintain the aquatic facilities."

"Oh yeah, I'm Alex." I smiled, watching as the Milotic basked in the summer heat. She must have been able to survive just as well on land than in the water, even if the sun was drying her out a bit. "You've probably already heard of me, though."

"Word does travel rather quickly in this place." She chuckled, raising one of her long hair-like appendages to her mouth as she laughed. Even though every movement she made was gentle, there was a great amount of power behind them. Her combined body weight must have been massive, and she could crush me in a heartbeat if she wanted to. "Even here, where land-dwellers are uncommon."

"So, what do you think of all this, just in general?" I questioned, trying to make myself seem professional. It was my duty to interview the ranch residents, and although she held more power here than some other Pokémon, this was still where she lived. "Staying at the ranch must be pretty different than living in the wild."

"Oh yes, definitely." She agreed, slithering closer to me and the edge of the water. Her movements were sluggish, but I imagined she was much more refined and deft when swimming through the lake. "There are pros and cons to both, I suppose."

"Like?" I asked, feeling like I should carry around a little notebook to write down everything that the ranch residents said. I would have to report this information to Thomas whenever he would check up on me, and my memory wasn't the greatest.

"Well, life here is much more relaxed." She sighed, smiling at her own reflection in the clear water. "With all of our worries taken of, we can focus on more leisurely activities without feeling guilty about all of the time that we're wasting. It's peaceful, and I much prefer that to the stress of trying to survive."

"If anything, things are sometimes too relaxed around here." She laughed, dipping her blue fan-like tail into the shallow water and watching the ripples it caused. She had a wistful look in her eyes. "There's not much excitement, and I think that's the reason why things have gotten so sexual around here."

"Really, you think?" I asked, and I had never considered it from that point of view. I had always assumed that because there were a bunch of trainers who were already poképhiles, it affected all of the other Pokémon under their care. From what I had heard, Hannah and the others didn't ask the residents for sex, but were actively requested themselves.

"Well, if you had nothing better to do, I'm sure you'd give in to your carnal desires soon enough." She winked suggestively, and I tried my best not to gulp audibly. It was intimidating to have such a beautiful, experienced Pokémon flirt with me. It was a huge step up from Leilana or Eloise. "Although enjoyable, there's not much fun to be had around here, so we create our own."

"So, you think if there were more things to do around here, it would be better?" I pondered, trying to come up with a solution to her problem. This lazy ranch did set your mind at ease, but I could understand how boring it would be to just live out your days here. The Pokémon were here all the time, and unlike us, they couldn't really leave to do something more interesting.

"I've always thought it would be more interesting to have structure around the things we do." She explained, turning away from the water so that her red eyes were locked onto me. It was nice to have a conversation with someone who was rational, and it was one of the first times that I felt like I was doing my job here. "Something to look forward to every week, even if it's small."

"So, like a weekly event?" I asked, trying to make sense of her idea. I couldn't think of many things we could do that would involve all of the ranch residents, as it was just too many Pokémon to cater for and keep track of. They all had their own wants and requirements. "Can you think of something that would make everyone here feel included?"

"Well, everyone at this ranch enjoys sex." She laughed nervously, trying to hide a faint blush that was beginning to redden her cream complexion. Her head was ducked low, so I couldn't exactly see how badly embarrassed she was. She probably thought it was unrefined to talk about such things. "How about a designated time where everyone meets up, instead of it being left up to the residents to seek out a partner?"

"A weekly orgy." I laughed, watching as the Milotic's eyes shot down to the grass in front of her. It looked like she was biting her tongue, which made her seem much cuter now instead of alluring and beautiful. Even though she was a long-time member, she still couldn't get past how awkward talking about it was. "Sex is about the most exciting thing you can think of, right?"

"And w-what's wrong with that?" She questioned, her red eyebrows furrowing in frustration as she huffed. Her voice was shaky, and it reminded me of the stereotypical tsundere girls you would see in trashy anime. At least I could say that all of my time spent alone in my room had given me some valuable life knowledge. Under that curt, royal demeanour was someone who probably had dirtier tastes than some at this ranch. "You're probably more perverted than I am!"

"Yeah, I'm not gonna deny that." I admitted, managing to suppress a blush of my own. I was becoming worryingly skilled at retaining my composure now, and if the ranch had helped with anything, it was my confidence. Evienne looked surprised that I was so willing to admit it, but she relaxed a bit now that she realised I wasn't going to make fun of her. "It's a clever idea though, so I'll bring it up with Thomas the next time I see him."

"I have not left the lake in a while… so I have only been able to satisfy myself with those who live here." She began, her feelers twitching uncomfortably as her gaze fell back on me. I noticed the way she took a long look not only at my face, but my whole body. It felt like she was appraising me. "In other words, I have not felt the touch of a human in quite some time."

"Well, if you can't wait any longer…" I grinned lustily, letting my unsatisfied libido overpower my sense of reason. My time with Wren had been nice, but I never got the chance to finish since I was so focused on making him feel comfortable. I was so pent-up that it was starting to hurt. "You can use me for your own pleasure, just as long as I get off as well."

"I had heard that you were willing to do things like this." She smiled, surprisingly not slapping me across the face with her tail for being so forward with her. She must have been really wanting, as only seconds ago she was berating me for being so vulgar. Her intention was soon evident as her expression shifted to something more predatory. "I do not offer my body to everyone, so you should feel privileged."

I had managed to somehow convince this Milotic that I was a worthy mate, and my disbelief was soon replaced by an overwhelming surge of arousal. This rare Pokémon was presenting herself to me, and I imagined that she was more experienced than any other that I had been with. The air soon became heavy as she began to slither towards me, gesturing for me to start undressing. I couldn't help but grin and internally thank Hannah for this opportunity. If she hadn't pushed me out the door, I wouldn't be getting eyed up by Evienne right now. I'd have to tell her all about what was going to happen.

It felt nice to stand naked on the edge of the river, as all of my constricting clothes were making me sweat under the sweltering sun. The soft breeze caressed my bare skin as I let out a relaxed breath, Evienne stopping in her tracks to look over me now that I was uncovered. My cock was already stiff with anticipation, not only due to how horny I was, but because the sight of such an alluring Pokémon was enough to arouse me. She was almost glowing, and her pure complexion was beautiful. She probably had this effect on everyone.

Her tongue lolled out of her mouth as she licked her lips, slowly coiling around me so she could get a view from every angle. I couldn't help but shiver as her cold scales brushed against my waist, and it took me a moment to realise that she was wrapping her body around mine. She was out of my sight now, and I could only watch as her pale body slowly looped its way around my legs. She was trapping me so that I couldn't move, but I was so desperate that I didn't care. Her head came back into my view as her long body finally came to a stop.

The weight was immense as she tried her best not to constrict me and squeeze the air from my lungs, and her scales were moist and cool. Suddenly, something much slicker than her scales dragged its way across my waist, leaving behind a sticky trail in its wake. She let out a hot breath as she showed me her slit, which was positioned right at the point where her cream body ended, and her blue tail began. It was large, and her puffy pink folds glistened among the rough scales that surrounded her hole. She was incredibly wet, not just because she was a water type, and my dick twitched at the sight of how drenched she was.

She manoeuvred her body so that her pussy rubbed against my head, coating it in her juices. I moaned as her soft folds parted ever so slightly, letting me feel the incredible heat of her body. My crotch was already soaked despite us not even starting yet, and I was about to make a comment about just how badly she must have wanted this, but the end of her tail suddenly slammed against my back as she forced me to enter inside her cunt.

She had almost winded me with how forcefully I was hit, but I couldn't even focus on the pain as she gyrated her long body. More of her juices oozed against me as she sank her tail down the length of my dick, and even though she wasn't tight, I could feel her walls part to accommodate my girth. She was constricting me so forcefully that it was impossible to thrust into her, but she tightened and coiled her serpentine form in such a way that her vagina gripped against my cock.

The sound of her moans rose over the wet, smacking sound of her tail as she used me only for her own pleasure. Her grinding was so powerful that she had knocked me off my feet, so all I could do was lay back on her coiled scales and watch her rise and fall onto my pole. The feeling was indescribable, as she had coated me in so much of her own juices that she could move far faster than even my own hand could.

I could feel her walls tense and relax as her long body rippled against mine, and it was an entirely new feeling now that I didn't have to put any effort into thrusting. I could just focus on her warmth as my dick was plunged repeatedly inside the water type. I let a soft moan escape my lips as her crimson feelers dropped down, caressing my chest as she rode me rhythmically. Her once-beige face was almost as red as her hair, which was trying to pull us even closer together.

She looked down so that her snout was poking against my nose, her thin maw pressing into my lips as she tried to silence her squeals. Her long tongue snaked its way across mine until it was reaching my throat as she moaned into my mouth, and I couldn't help but squirm as this Milotic had fully enveloped me. It was almost suffocating to have her entire body wrapped around mine, twisting and constricting as she squeezed against me.

I felt my thighs ache as I gripped against her body, trying to pull myself away from her salty tongue. She smelled like the ocean itself, and I had to be entirely drenched in her fluids at this point. She began to get even faster as she sensed my urgency, and I had to open my mouth wide just to groan out. She finally broke the kiss, her red feelers twitching wildly as she looked into my eyes.

She understood even though we exchanged no words, and I felt her body tighten even further as she constricted me as hard as she could. I thought she was going to crush my ribs as I cried out, her pussy suddenly tightening as she smacked her tail against my waist for a final time. I tensed my whole body and closed my eyes as I came, feeling her pulsating insides clamp down. I shot my cum deep inside her long, snaking form as every inch of skin that was touching her scales tingled with pleasure.

Before I had even finished, she lifted her tail and squirted a torrent of her juices all over me. Even my intense load paled in comparison to hers as she orgasmed, the splashing sound overpowering her high-pitched squeals. Flecks of liquid spattered across my face as I unloaded my final spurt of semen, which only slid off of the scales on her water-resistant tail. My head was cloudy as the constriction finally ceased, her lengthy body finally relaxing as she twitched.

She uncoiled, causing us both to fall back onto the grassy riverbank with laboured pants. Her body unspooled like a fire hose, and as I lay in a tangled mess of scales and a puddle of both our of fluids, I grinned as I smirked up at the blue sky. I finally knew that this was what the ranch was all about. I had never had such an odd sexual experience, but it felt just as meaningful as the traditional way of doing things. If I could handle a snake-like Pokémon without any limbs, then I could handle anything. I felt like the luckiest person alive, as I imagined this was the only place in Hoenn where impromptu sex was not only allowed, but encouraged by everyone.

My eyes were beginning to close as the silence of the afterglow was too tempting not to bask in. Evienne's body curled around mine in a much gentler way as she caught her breath, and I couldn't help but notice how sticky I was. It made sense for a water type to be so… wet, but I wasn't expecting just how much fluid they could produce. A shower was definitely in order, as I didn't want to spend the rest of the day smelling like a Milotic, but for now, I just wanted to lie back and rest under the beating sun. I didn't have a care in the world.

"It was probably a pleasant change of pace for you to not do any work." Evienne giggled, letting her iridescent tail flop lazily against the ground. She was already starting to dry from the combination of the sun and her scales, but I was still dripping wet. "You seem like a nice person, so I did my best to make you feel comfortable, even if my body shape is somewhat… unconventional."

"It was certainly a new experience." I laughed breathlessly, even though I had barely moved a muscle. My lower back was still aching from when she had slammed her tail against me, but the rest of my body felt oddly refreshed. Her lithe body writhing against mine had almost acted like a massage, and I rubbed at my shoulder as I sat up and looked around. "You were my first water type, so I wasn't expecting just how much of a mess we'd make."

"Yes, that is one drawback to my anatomy." She admitted with an embarrassed expression. The grass surrounding our bodies was totally soaked like it had been drenched by a torrential rainstorm, and I just hoped that my clothes had remained slightly dry. The lodge was pretty far away, and I hadn't even thought about bringing a spare outfit to keep in Hannah's room. "You may want to wait a moment before returning to let the sun dry you off a bit."

.-.-.-.-.-.

It took a while of laying spread-eagled on the grass before I finally stopped dripping everywhere. Evienne and I joked and talked casually together, her winding body still tangled around me. She was an interesting Pokémon, and I felt glad to have made her acquaintance. My job here would only get easier the more residents I befriended, and I was off to a good start. My messy hair was still wet, and it looked like I had just taken a dip in the lake, but I donned my surprisingly clean clothes and travelled all the way back down to the lodge after saying goodbye to the alluring Milotic.

"The Lady!?" Hannah squealed incredulously upon my return after I had given the details of my encounter. She pulled me into a proud hug and tussled my damp hair with vigour, treating me like I had just accomplished something important. I had no idea why she was so excited, but I let her embrace me just because her body was so warm. "You seriously went a round with the Lady of the Lake?"

"Yeah…?" I questioned after she had finally let me go. Her eager tone had apparently attracted the attention of everyone else at the lodge, and I suddenly felt the spotlight shine on me as Brandon, Katie and Julian all leaned out of the kitchen with curious expressions. "Is that a big deal or something?"

"She's built up quite the reputation around here." Julian interjected, still hiding in the kitchen doorframe. His tense posture from earlier had entirely dissolved, and he looked to be entirely back to normal. It probably had something to do with Katie who was hanging off of his shoulder. "Not just for being really attractive, but for being incredibly picky as to who she has sex with. You landed a big fish without even knowing it."

"So, how was it?" Hannah asked excitedly, clasping her hands together and encouraging me with a smile. I still didn't feel entirely comfortable discussing such things with so many people around, but her eyes were shining so brightly that I couldn't say no. Wren's attention had also been peaked as he left one of the armchairs and padded over to me.

"Well, wet." I laughed, sending a wave of understanding nods throughout the room. From what I had gathered, nobody had a water type on their teams but they all seemed to be aware of what they were capable of. The sexual differences between different species was fascinating to me, and I wondered how such things weren't well documented. "She coiled around me, so I couldn't move that well, and she did most of the work herself.

"Damn." Brandon whistled. "I'm not even into girls but that sounds like a great time."

"I just think it's funny that Alex can deal with such an intense partner and he was only introduced to this whole thing a few days ago." Katie grinned, looking almost as proud as Hannah. I didn't know just how much Julian told her about what occurred earlier today, but her attitude toward me hadn't changed. She must have accepted Wren's presence. "You've got potential as a serious poképhile."

"Well, with the way things are going right now, I'll be on the same level as you guys in no time." I said, leaning back into the couch with a tired sigh. The day was drawing to a close already, since Hannah and I had spent so much time getting my trainer's licence. I was looking forward to finally bringing Wren home so that he and Eloise could interact properly. "I've definitely been worn down though. I could probably sleep for a week and still not feel recharged."

"Hopefully you'll be raring to go for tomorrow again, yeah?" Katie asked, eyeing up both me and Wren. I wasn't too sure that he would be joining us in our sexual escapades, but then again, they way he's been starting to act has been surprising. Maybe he would be up for it, and it would mean that Eloise wouldn't be the only member of my team attending. "I've already explained what we're gonna be doing to Wren, so he has time to think about it."

"Speaking of orgies, actually…" I began, beckoning for the Sneasel to come up and sit next to me. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with getting to close to people, so I would have to

show him that it was okay to do things without asking for permission. "While I was talking to Evienne, she suggested that we should hold a weekly one that everyone attends."

"I wouldn't be against that." Hannah nodded, with an impressed look in my direction. I felt a warm sense of pride as it felt nice to be finally doing my job. Even if it did entail something that would just increase the amount of sex this place sees, at least I was the one who instigated it. "It makes it easier for both us and the Pokémon, but it's ultimately down to Thomas."

"It's good to see that you're actually doing the work Thomas is paying you for." Julian winked, and his words would normally be biting if not for the jovial tone he had said them in. He had a roundabout way of paying compliments, but I could tell that they were genuine. I was finally starting to figure out the psychic type. "I'm dying to get home for the weekend though, so if that's all, we're gonna take off a little early."

"Yeah, the rest of you should probably get going as well." Hannah yawned, sprawling her entire body out across the couch as she stretched. It seemed like even her boundless energy had its limits, and we were technically all sitting around in her house. I had to keep reminding myself that she actually lived at this lodge. "I'll lock up once you all get off your asses."

"Okay, make your way over to my place at about six." Katie explained casually, grabbing her purse that was lying on the dining table. Julian stayed extremely close behind her, and it was the first time that I noticed he was a lot more muted while she was around. He acted like her bodyguard, supressing most of his emotions so he could stay vigilant. His desire to protect her was unlike anything I had ever seen. "We can order food or whatever once everyone arrives."

The living room soon cleared out until only me, Hannah, Wren and a dazed Eloise were left. She was finally starting to wake up, and she had been snoozing for so long I was worried that she wouldn't sleep properly tonight. She must have over-exerted herself in her fake battle with Baxter, and I would definitely need to have a talk with her about restraint. Having her pass out during the day and being awake all night was not something I wanted to be become a routine.

"You stink." Hannah laughed, feigning disgust as she pulled on the front of my shirt. I couldn't really argue with her, since I was still covered in Evienne's scent. It was like a mixture of sweat and sea water, and I all I could do was laugh along with her as she recoiled after cuddling into me. "You're having a shower as soon as you get home."

"Who are you, my mum?" I asked, pulling her tighter into the hug just so that she would have to suffer along with me. I was still a little wary of showing her such affection in front of Wren, but he gave me a soft smile as he perched himself atop one of the couch's arms. It looked like I wouldn't have to worry about him getting jealous.

"Well, excuse me for trying to help with your hygiene." She retorted while rolling her eyes. Her hands moved to her waist as she fiddled with the belt that held all of her Pokéballs. No two were the same, almost like she enjoyed the myriad of dazzling spheres that she adorned herself with. Finally, she unclipped the strap and held the spinning piece of fabric aloft. "I've still gotta feed the gang, so I'm afraid I've gotta kick you out of here as well."

"I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to sleep in your bed." I said, giving her a final squeeze before releasing her. It pained me that we couldn't spend that more together, but I understood that we were two adults who had their own schedule. It was just that hers was busier than mine.

"If you don't mind sharing it with six other Pokémon, then of course you will." She smiled, gesturing to the Pokéballs that she had laid out onto the table. Her bed was so large because she had to accommodate all of her team members, and I would probably end up having to do the same. "Okay, c'mon, it's starting to get dark outside. I don't want you getting mugged while walking back to your place."

"What time do you want me over tomorrow?" I asked while walking towards the lodge's entrance. I cradled Eloise in my arms as her groggy confusion still hadn't worn off, hoping that she would soon flutter up and settle down on top of my head. Wren had probably figured out by now that she was a new addition to my team like he was, and I caught him sneaking glances at her out the corner of his eyes. "Y'know, before the orgy at Katie's apartment."

"Just let yourself in sometime in the early afternoon." She replied, leaning on the doorframe as I stepped out into the mild air. The sweltering sun had almost disappeared from the sky which left the ranch at a pleasant warmth. The sensation of being outside had finally roused Eloise as she perked her head up to look around. "I'll probably still be asleep, so feel free to come in and wake me up. Or find a space in the bed and snuggle in… your choice."

"We'd never make it to Katie's if I picked the second option." I winked, turning back to look at Hannah with a playful grin. The light from inside the lodge illuminated her from behind, casting a large shadow of her figure on the ground. Her pink hair sparkled as her soft lips curved in a sultry smile. She placed her hands on her curvy hips and shook her head slowly at me.

"Save that for when everyone's together." She whispered while fidgeting with the door handle. She waved me off as I began to walk down the winding pathway, and I offered a palm down to Wren if he wanted to grab hold of it. I felt a striking cold snap work it's way up my arm as his claws tried to wrap around my fingers. A comforting warmth soon distracted me from the sobering chill as Eloise nested herself atop my head. I must have looked quite the sight with two Pokémon hanging off of me. "See you later, soldier."

.-.-.-.-.-.

The walk back to my house was plagued with an awkward silence that I hadn't anticipated. Wren and Eloise hadn't been formally introduced to each other yet, and while my Swablu knew about the Sneasel's existence, he was likely surprised that I was training another Pokémon. They had no idea what to say each other, so even the talkative flying type was at a loss for words. One was usually hyper while the other was reserved, so of course there would be some difficulty getting them to interact.

After a quick shower, I tip-toed back to my room still wrapped in a warm towel. I felt guilty that I was sneaking all of these Pokémon into the house without my brother's knowledge, but I just knew he would have some choice words for me once he found out. The longer that I could prolong that altercation the better. Opening the door carefully, I noticed that Eloise was nestled into the bed, with Wren sitting not too far away from her. One of her wings was brushing against his side as they sat quietly together.

"So, Alex was the first person that you laid eyes upon when you hatched?" Wren asked warily, and I realised that I must have come back halfway into their conversation. I was glad that I didn't have to push them to talk to each other, but I couldn't help but notice that someone wasn't regarding the other with an equal level of warmth. Wren looked uncomfortable that she was sitting so close to him.

"Yup!" She chirped, causing the ice type to jump back slightly. He acted like he was scared of her, and I couldn't entirely place the reason why. She wasn't exactly intimidating, and her gleaming eyes were so innocent that you couldn't help but feel reassured that she couldn't harm you in any way. "He decided to train me after having a talk with my mother!"

"I see." Wren fidgeted, like he was struggling to stay focused. His eyes fell to his lap, and I immediately understood what he must have been feeling. Once again, I could almost see myself reflected in the Sneasel and I had a sudden flashback to my school days. He had difficulty talking with people that he couldn't relate to, just like me. He was complex, and she was simple.

"And we've done so many fun things even though we haven't been together for very long!" She laughed, unaware that Wren wasn't taking the same joy in the conversation that she was. Eloise was the type that could get along with anyone, while Wren struggled to hold a conversation with anyone except those he was closest to. "I've been taken on a tour of the ranch, and he let me watch Hannah battle another trainer. We've also tried mating together!"

"Really, all that already?" Wren smiled, but even I could see that it was only one of courtesy. Even though Wren hadn't experienced the world very much, he was still far older than Eloise was. It was like he was talking to a child, and the hesitation in his posture was clear. His eyes turned to me in desperation, searching for assistance.

"And we'll be doing a lot more things together, with Wren included." I stated, letting the towel crumple to the ground as I searched for something clean to wear. Being naked around my Pokémon was something that I barely had to think about anymore, and I never would have expected how casual it was. I wondered if non-poképhiles tried to hide their bodies. "So, I'm sure that you'll become friends pretty quickly."

"Do you have anything that you wanna do?" Eloise squawked, keeping her body tilted towards Wren but her eyes focused on me. It seemed like my undressed state was of interest to her as I hunted for clothes, letting droplets of water from my hair trickle down my back and shoulders. "I want to get good at battling!"

"There are many things that I wish to do." Wren replied, trying to keep his words concise and simple for Eloise's young mind. He too, couldn't help but stare at me and I was quickly realising that dropping the towel so carelessly wasn't the best idea. It was still technically the start of all our relationships, so maybe that sort of thing should only be saved for when we were about to do the deed. "However, I am just happy to accompany Alex on whatever he desires to spend his time on."

"Like mating?" She questioned, my naked form likely having brought concept to the front of her mind. Wren looked taken aback at the forwardness of her question, and he paused for a moment to try and formulate a reply. I had finally found a clean pair of boxers to throw on, so I covered myself and fell onto the bed next to them with a sigh.

"That is one area of interest, yes." He smiled, likely having realised that it was okay to speak about such things with Eloise. He immediately relaxed even when I just lay down next to him, and I had to keep in mind that he required my presence to feel at peace. I didn't want to coddle him too much, but he functioned better when I was around.

"Speaking of mating, how do you feel about the orgy tomorrow?" I asked, peering up at the ice type's expression. Katie had mentioned that she had explained things to him, but she had never said anything about his reply. He had probably come to an answer after having some time to think about it. His head feather drooped as he looked down at me.

"I would be happy to join you alongside Eloise." He answered, showing his chipped teeth in a lopsided smile. It was nice to hear such a confident reply from him, and it reassured me that he was in the right place. Even if my trainer life had been unorthodox so far, it seemed to be working. "Although, my confidence is such matters is still lacklustre, therefore I will not be participating in anything too… unchaste."

"That's totally fine." I nodded, understanding that he still had boundaries. I was still astounded that he had even allowed me to get that close to him back in the forest, as even though he was shy and introverted, he seemed to have a lustful streak under all of that apprehension. "Just do what you're comfortable with, and if you need anything while we're there, don't be afraid to speak up."

"I can't wait!" Eloise chirped, stating the obvious as she ruffled her cloud-like wings with glee. She had no problems with her self-image like Wren had, and I wondered if letting them get to know each other would balance them both out. The unsure Sneasel in particular could benefit from such a positive influence. "Now that Wren's here, things will start getting really lively."

I could see Wren almost scoff at her statement in disbelief. He was probably thinking that 'lively' was one of the last words you would use to describe him, but he swallowed the compliment and smiled at the innocent Swablu sitting next to him. He would warm up to her with time, and I assumed he would feel awkward no matter who he spoke to. For now, I was just pleased that they had been introduced. I would have no idea what to do if future team members didn't like each other.

"Right, I'm shattered… so we should all probably settle down." I yawned, letting myself slip under the warm duvet. My hair was still wet from the shower, but I really couldn't be bothered trying to dry it. The soft mattress under me was just too lovely to pass up, but I didn't dread when I would have to leave it tomorrow. A subtle excitement flickered within me as I thought about the orgy I was going to partake in. "You wanna get under the covers with me, Wren?"

"Are you s-sure?" He questioned, perched on the end of the bed apprehensively. He looked lonely sitting all the way over there by himself while Eloise had already wriggled her way in between my arms. I felt bad that the thought of sleeping next to me never even crossed his mind, even though he was so attached to me already.

"Of course." I chuckled softly, dimming the lamp next to me until the room was bathed in half-darkness. The ice type's crimson eyes twinkled as they fell upon me, and I could have sworn that he was beginning to tear up. He suppressed a sniffle as he crawled his way across the bed. "You're my Pokémon now, so you get to sleep in my bed with me, right?"

"I suppose so." He muttered, shuffling into the space between where I was lying and the wall. The instant his frigid fur brushed against my skin, I had to hug Eloise tighter just to stop myself from shivering. I hadn't anticipated his temperature when I had made the offer, but I just hoped that our body heat would warm him up a bit.

I pulled him closer to me, still thinking that he was lying too far away. Cuddling with someone made it so much easier to fall asleep, even if it was with a Pokemon who exuded an artic chill. He paused for a moment before wrapping an arm around me, letting his claws unfurl and lie lazily on the mattress. His body was finally relaxed under my careful grasp, and I felt an intense warmth despite the circumstances. My heart welled as I embraced my two team members.

"Thank you, Alex." Wren whispered. His words were brimming with so much comfort and gratitude that I was too stunned to reply. I just nuzzled my face into his wiry fur while giving him a loving kiss. Eloise gently pecked me with her beak, not wanting to miss out on the affection.

It wasn't long before I drifted off, never loosening my protective grip on the two Pokémon that I considered to be my partners.


	11. Any Time Soon

**Author's Note:**

First things first – no, you're not dreaming. This is actually a new chapter of Lilycove.

All of you are probably wondering why I've been totally inactive for almost a full year, and I don't exactly feel comfortable going into all of the details here, but let's just say that my life has changed a lot and I didn't have many opportunities or even the passion to write anything. A lot of things just kinda happened all at once. It took months for me to find that writing spark again, but I never forgot about Lilycove or any of you in the time that I've been absent.

I feel guilty for staying silent this whole time, but if any of you have been writing publicly for a while, you'll understand that the longer you stay away, the harder it is to come back. I want to keep things brief and not too sappy, so I'll just say that it feels good to be writing again and hopefully that won't change like it did last time.

So yeah, I hope you enjoy a chapter that was a BITCH to finish. Half of it was written ten months ago, and the rest I've worked on since the start of December. I still feel a little rusty, so I apologise in advance if I've made any oversights or my writing style seems different!

Thanks for sticking around all this time! Here's to many more chapters! (fingers crossed)

* * *

The next day, we all managed to get up and out of the house without any problems. Since I had showered so late the night before, all I really had to do was put on a clean set of clothes and fix my hair. I had fallen asleep without drying it, so I spent a good few minutes fighting the tangled mess with my brush until it looked presentable. It was still long and unruly, but it was the best it would ever look. It was the first time I had hung out at a friend's place in years, even if it was just a casual orgy, so I made an extra effort to look nice. What kind of person had I become, using 'casual' and 'orgy' in the same sentence?

"Hannah…?" I called while opening the door to the lodge's living room. My two team members tailed behind me, Eloise surprisingly opting to skitter across the ground alongside Wren. She probably didn't want to ruin the hair I had spent so long taming. "You awake yet?"

The living room was dark and lifeless, and I strained to listen for the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Everything was silent, so I let out a sigh and flicked on the light. I thought she was joking around when she said that I was supposed to wake her up, but there were no signs of activity anywhere. Noon had already come and went, but I couldn't blame her for sleeping in so late. She must have used weekends to catch up on all the sleep she had missed from the week before, since her egg maintenance required her to be up every couple of hours.

Even though we were dating, I still didn't feel comfortable just barging into her bedroom while she was asleep with her Pokémon. I leaned on the wall outside of her door for a few minutes, mulling over whether this was a clever idea or not. Wren and Eloise sensed the atmosphere and kept quiet as I tried to steel my nerves. I wasn't the type to just barge in and rudely wake someone up, but she had requested it earlier. My timid nature almost wouldn't allow it, but I threw caution to the wind and let her bedroom door creak open.

I glanced into the room cautiously, half expecting to see something scandalous. Instead, I saw a massive pile of bodies strewn across the large mattress that took up most of the space in the room. The light from the hallway shone in, but it was still too dark to make out much of anything. The mass of fur and scales rose and fell as they breathed in unison, slumbering peacefully together like they were a big family. Britney's long ears curved across the headboard, and Hannah's bright pink hair peaked out not too far away. Her towering Pangoro acted almost like a second bed as Baxter was propped up against his side, using him as a makeshift pillow. It was really cute the way they all slept together, and I hated to interrupt them all like this.

"Han," a low, monotone voice that I had never heard before echoed out from the darkness. I wildly looked around the shadowy room for the source, eventually finding a pair of glowing, yellow eyes staring at me from under the bed. "We've got a visitor."

The Pokémon pile stirred as a human arm rose its way above them. Hannah was trying to pull herself atop them all, as she was likely being crushed under their weight. I had no idea how she could even sleep amidst them, as the amount of body heat they all created would have been unbearable. She looked at me in bewilderment as her eyes focused on the dim light before she fell back down.

"S'just Alex," she slurred, cuddling into her Lopunny as she closed her eyes again. Only a couple of her other Pokémon awakened as they heard the sound of her voice. The room was further illuminated with a strange light as her Salazzle's lithe body flashed with a fiery energy. Her pink body markings stood stark amongst her black skin as they pulsated, almost like a neon sign you would see in a bustling city. "Be a good boy and say hi for me."

The yellow eyes disappeared for a second as a gecko-like Pokemon crawled its way out from under the huge bed. It looked like there was barely enough space for even Baxter to lie under there, but the Grovyle standing up in front of me somehow managed to sleep in that place. He was small and slender, and when he stepped into the light, I finally remembered that I had seen him once before. Only for a minute, back at my first ever day at the ranch.

"Apollo…" he muttered, and I couldn't be sure whether that was his half-assed attempt at introducing himself or he was just very interested in Roman gods. His slouched, tired posture and slanted eyes reminded me of the disinterested people I saw at high school who would smoke weed in the toilets before going to class. "Sorry, I'm dying for some water."

He slid past me with reptilian agility before I could even register what was happening and was out of my sight. Eloise and Wren looked equally confused as they watched him slink down the hallway to the kitchen, his clawed feet clacking across the floor as he went. The leaf blades adorning his wrists were gleaming as he fanned them out, almost like he was showing off to all of us standing behind him. His soft, fleshy body was shining with health like the rest of Hannah's team. If recalled correctly, Britney referred to him as 'handsome'.

"Ugh, I said say hi, dammit!" Hannah groaned, finally roused now that her odd Grovyle hadn't followed her orders. It seemed like he did everything at his own pace, even going as far as to ignore his own trainer's wishes. He didn't seem spiteful or unruly though, just laid-back enough to completely ignore someone. "Fine, fine… I'll get up."

With significant effort, Hannah sat up, and now that I could see her properly I realised that she wasn't wearing any clothes. It made sense, since sleeping naked was about the only way you could withstand the heat of six other bodies, especially when one of them was a fire type. She stuck out her chest as she stretched and yawned, and I couldn't help but blush at the sight. It was quite a shock to see her like that so casually and I quickly averted my gaze. Sure, we were together now, but I had only seen her naked one other time.

"Any reason why Apollo was under the bed?" I asked, unable to stop my curiosity. More importantly, I wanted a topic to distract myself from the fact that she was unclothed. All of her other Pokémon chose to sleep together, even Oleander, who I didn't see as the type to show affection. The massive bed still seemed to have enough space to accommodate his skinny body, so it had to be some other reason.

"He prefers sleeping on the floor, where it's cooler," she replied, still not awake enough to form proper sentences. She looked over all of her team members with a careful eye to check that they were all okay, and to those still sleeping, she gave them a loving pat on the head. "Always been weird like that."

She had to climb over a snoring Pangoro, but eventually she made it onto the bedroom floor. Her bare toes wriggled into the carpet, and being self-conscious about her nakedness was probably the last thing on her mind. I wouldn't have been surprised if she just walked around the lodge like that most of the time. Against my better judgement, I took a long look up her body until I fell upon her staring eyes.

"Even if it is dark, I can still see where you're looking," she giggled, throwing one of her discarded shirts at me. I couldn't really help the fact that her body looked so damn good, so I just laughed guiltily along with her. Her assets weren't the biggest, but they were the perfect size for her figure. Her hips were actually pretty wide, despite how thin her thighs were. "Not that I mind, obviously, but we're saving all that for later tonight."

"I bet if we were in the opposite situation, you'd be staring at me as well," I reprimanded, leaning against the doorframe and doing my best not to take another look. At this point, Eloise had gotten curious to all the commotion and scampered into the room, stopping in her tracks in amazement to gawk at all the other Pokémon.

"You've got me there," she replied, defeated. Her hands moved to her head as she ruffled her pink hair forcefully, letting it settle naturally. Her pixie cut looked good no matter what state her hair was in, and I found it ironic that she had shorter hair than her boyfriend. It was usually the other way around. "Right, everyone, rise and shine!"

There were various sighs and groans of different intensities as Hannah clapped her hands loudly, making sure that none of her Pokémon were left sleeping. Her Pangoro jolted awake at all the noise, causing Baxter to tumble off of his furry stomach with a yelp. He bounced along the mattress until he was left looking absolutely rattled. Both the giant panda and the tiny chinchilla scowled at their rude awakenings.

"You're gonna keep Alex company while I shower!" she ordered with an outstretched arm, almost like she was commanding them to use a specific attack in battle. Her enthusiasm and intensity for her Pokémon was evident even outside of a fighting situation. "C'mon, I want everyone out into the living room!"

Soon, we were all shuffled out of her messy bedroom until I found myself sitting on the couch surrounded by her team. Seeing them all together like this really put into perspective how skilled of a trainer Hannah must have been. Baxter and Eloise began tussling on the rug, eager to get some battle practice in while they still had the chance. On the other hand, Wren looked a little overwhelmed to be sitting so close to the intimidating Pangoro. I put an arm around him and pulled him closer to me, paying no mind to how cold he was, and reassured him.

"Ssso, you're the one that Hannah won't ssstop going on about," Victoria, the Salazzle, hissed while giving me a predatory glance. Her forked tongue crept out of her jagged maw and flicked in my direction, and I couldn't help but tense up slightly. Britney sat next to her like she wasn't dangerous, but I felt like I was being stared at not as a friend, but food. "It'sss all we've heard from her thessse passst couple daysss."

"Really?" I gulped, struggling for something else to say to the imposing salamander. The way she hung on every 's' sound for a few seconds put me on edge, and she spoke in hushed, almost sultry, whispers. Her pink markings danced with a fervent light, hypnotising me into staring at nobody else but her. "I'm sorry if that's been annoying in any way."

"No, no, it'sss quite alright," she comforted, waving her slender fingers at me to try and calm my unease. I knew that she had the best intentions, but all of her movements were so unsettling. Her thin, almond-shaped eyes closed even further as she smiled. "I know how it can feel to be… infatuated by othersss."

"Cool it a little Vic, you're scaring him shitless," the Pangoro boomed, making me almost jump out of my skin. I wasn't expecting his voice to be that loud and powerful, and his growling was enough to rattle the couch we were sitting on. Why did I have to be sitting next to the massive panda who could probably crush me with one hand?

"And you're not, Chief?" Britney giggled, her piercing laughs not even giving the Pangoro a chance to reply. I hated to admit that she was right, but the gruff fighting type was even more intimidating than the frightening Salazzle. His sheer size was enough to probably deter all that would challenge him, but the Lopunny laughed at him like he was harmless. "You're not, like, exactly that adorable little Pancham anymore, y'know?"

As if to prove a point, Chief offered me a hand that was larger than my entire head. His rough, black paw was opened in a gesture like he wanted to me to shake it. The moment I raised my right arm, he grabbed a hold of it and shook so hard that I felt like he was about to rip it off. He probably had the strength to do that without even trying. His grizzled demeanour belied his willingness to befriend me, and I was surprised that he retained any manners at all.

"Hey there little guy," he said, his daunting glare and bared teeth reminding me that he was also a dark type. He was being nice enough right now, but I knew that the last thing you wanted to do was anger a Pangoro. Their ruthlessness was legendary even over here, where the species wasn't native. "Hannah's said a lot of good things about you, so we shouldn't have any problems, yeah?"

His tone was protective and fatherly, and the way he gripped my hand like he was trying to shatter my bones told me that if I ever hurt her in any way, he would be the first one at my doorstep. He looked grouchy, but he managed to mask that with a booming cheerfulness despite the underlying meaning behind his words. It made wonder what he was like as a Pancham, and if Britney's words were anything to go by, it sounded like his evolution had triggered a drastic change in him. Acquiring the dark typing would probably cause quite a shift in personality.

"You're all acting like Hannah is some naïve teenage girl who can't make decisions for herself," Oleander croaked, watching Baxter and Eloise brawl on the floor with peculiar interest. The room fell silent at his words, and I imagined that the Toxicroak could either be the voice of reason or the source of conflict within the group. "She said earlier to keep him company, not interrogate him about their relationship."

"Well, like, it's hard not to be protective of her," Britney acknowledged, trying to dispel the awkward silence. She had been at Hannah's side the longest, so I could understand the need to ensure that I was actually a good person. If you really wanted to get technical about things, you could say that Britney was her girlfriend, and she was hesitant about that fact changing in any way. "You must know what I mean though Ollie with, like, how much we've been through since we left Sinnoh."

"Hmm, yeah, I understand," he agreed, his toothy grimace lessening to a more wistful expression. The rest of Hannah's team had been formed once she moved away from Hearthome and started to travel the world, but she began her journey with a Buneary and Croagunk by her side. They had all matured together, and it must not have been easy. "Just try to trust her decision is all I'm saying."

It was difficult to focus my attention on the unique group of Pokémon. Even with only four of them engaged in the conversation, they were all so comfortable with each other that they managed to speak amongst themselves without much input from me. Before I started working at the ranch, I had no idea that Pokemon could display such levels of individuality, but now I understood that they were no different than humans. In fact, they could be more friendly and interesting than most other people I had come across. They obviously all cared for each other, despite their differences both physically and emotionally.

"You guys are such a handful," a voice sounded from behind me, and I immediately felt a presence lean on the back of the couch that we were sitting on. I craned my neck to see the verdant leaves of a Grovyle, which was quite a shock since I hadn't even heard Apollo leave the kitchen. His stealth wasn't surprising, since their species were known for deftly creeping across the treetops. "He probably wants nothing to do with us now."

"That's not true in the slightest," I laughed, prompting other smiles to break out across the whole room. Even Baxter and Eloise stopped mid-fight to hear my words, and I noticed that the chinchilla looked a little more battered than the last time they had clashed. Patches of his fur now littered the floor along with Eloise's cloudy feathers, and he was breathing heavily. "If anything, I want to get to know you all even more. You probably have some crazy stories to tell with how much you've all done together."

"We, like, barely survived our vacation in Alola," Britney recalled with a mixture of horror and nostalgic glee, nudging the fiery Salazzle sitting next to her who returned the gesture. Hannah's other Pokémon wore similar expressions, and Oleander was even sent into a fit of laughter, his throat sac bulging like a balloon as he doubled over. "It was so wild that we came back to Hoenn with one more friend than, like, when we left."

"The hangover lasssted for weeksss," Victoria hissed, her slim features tightening in a garish smile. The immediate air around her was tinged with a purple hue as she seemed to taint whatever she was near, clouding the Salazzle in a currently harmless mist. I imagined that along with Oleander's poison, they could create quite a deadly mixture that nothing could ever survive.

"Oh Arceus, don't remind me," Hannah muttered queasily, sounding like even recounting the memories were making her ill. The lodge's soundproofing had to be professionally done as she hadn't even made a noise when exiting the bathroom, but here she was, standing in the hallway clad in the same baby-pink towel I had seen her in a couple days ago. "I wasn't sober for that entire trip, so I barely even remember capturing Victoria."

"Why couldn't have I been born before you went to Alola?" Baxter pouted as Eloise tried to unleash a flurry of pecks in his direction. He deftly stepped out of her range, leaving her to fall flat on her face and skid against the rug. She chirped in frustration, launching herself of the ground with an angry flutter. "All those exotic Pokémon that I missed out on still keep me up at night!"

"Come on, there's too much action for you to handle even here at the ranch," Hannah huffed, shaking her head at the eager Minccino until he stopped looking at her like a spoiled child. Their relationship was definitely strange, but I noticed the sly smile spread across Hannah's face when the normal type turned away from her in defiance. She definitely enjoyed his antics.

.-.-.-.-.-.

The next few hours passed by with Hannah's team sharing more stories, but now that the woman herself was here, the vivid personalities the Pokémon displayed earlier seemed to die down a bit. The interactions were much more relaxed now that she was sat down with us, and Wren even joined the conversation for a little while before he got too overwhelmed. It felt nice to have a time where there were no obligations, with Hannah having to leave for a quick check-up on the eggs only once for the entire time.

We became increasingly aware of the time once Baxter began tugging on his trainer's sleeves. It seemed like he was looking forward to this orgy far more than anyone and once everyone was back in their Pokéballs – Wren and Eloise excluded – Hannah lead the charge and we made our way to Katie's apartment.

Somewhere in downtown Lilycove that I wasn't familiar with stood a relatively dilapidated set of apartment buildings. They weren't exactly luxurious, but I had heard that rent this far into the town was absolutely ludicrous, so I couldn't really blame Katie for living in such a place. I scoffed at a sign that had 'The Lily's Cove' plastered all over it with proud lettering and walked across the carpark, hand held tightly by Hannah as she had basically pulled me the entire way. It wasn't that I was slow, it was that she walked insanely fast.

We were heading toward the less-grimy looking block of apartments that didn't seem too bad when set in front the backdrop of a starry sky. The days were starting to get shorter as we barrelled into autumn, and this night was especially dark and cold. I couldn't wait to get inside where she, hopefully, had a fireplace or a space heater somewhere. I wasn't going to be sidling up to Victoria for warmth any time soon, that was for sure.

"Katie – stop making out with your boyfriend and buzz us in," Hannah smirked into the tiny, scuffed intercom once she had pressed the button with Katie's name written in what I assumed was her flamboyant handwriting. I noticed big chunky letters with Brandon's name too a few rows down, which I hadn't anticipated. It was a little too convenient that they had both picked 'The Lily's Cove' as a place to live.

"Wait, Katie and Brandon stay in the same apartment block?" I said in a hushed tone, pushing the unlocked door aside with my shoulder as my hands were occupied with a contented Swablu. Wren followed quickly behind, looking fearful of getting shut out and separated from us by the electronic door.

"Yeah, I forgot to say. His apartment is totally shitty compared to Katie's though, so he usually hangs out in theirs until they all go to bed," she explained, hopping up the flight of stairs with surprising agility as she left me to struggle along by myself. "He's talked about moving out to one of the little bungalows on the beachfront, since he's saved up a fuckton of money from work, but none of them have gone up for sale yet."

Under the glow of a flickering hallway light, we came to a stop at a heavy-looking door once we had braved the imposing flights of stairs. Hannah was entirely unfazed, but I had to stop and catch my breath once we reached the correct floor. I would have rather taken the elevator, but she seemed to think that it was some good exercise for me. The door in question was a rusted, red colour with a slot for a nameplate. 'Katie Carlyle and Julian' were written in the same fancy handwriting, and she had even doodled a cute, yellow flower next to it.

Hannah knocked out an interesting tune that seemed far too complex, almost like a secret handshake that you would have to know in order for access into a clubhouse. It wouldn't have surprised me if they really did have a signature knock, just in case they were doing anything dirty out in the open. Answering the door half naked to a stranger was a fear that I was starting to get familiar with, the incident with the pizza girl still fresh in my mind.

Before she could even finish, the door swung open to reveal an exuberant Katie. Her strawberry-blonde hair that was usually trapped in a ponytail had been set free, and it made her look like a completely different person. Light orange wisps of hair spilled down her shoulders, and she was idly playing with a strand of it as she welcomed us into her apartment. Her cherry-red lipstick volumized her lips and made her smile look even wider.

"It's not much but make yourself at home," she grinned, and as I brushed past her, I was immediately hit with the scent of a fruity perfume. It was almost intoxicating and if I didn't have Wren nipping at my heels, I would have been stopped in my tracks by the smell of apples and violets. The jumpers that she usually wore had been discarded in favour of a much skimpier, low-cut shirt that completely highlighted the fact she wasn't wearing a bra.

"I'll never get used to how you look outside of work y'know," Hannah muttered, having thought the exact same thing as me. It was obvious that she didn't want to wear lipstick and do her hair properly if she was doing manual labour at the ranch, but if this was what she looked like for a casual orgy, I could only imagine what she would do for a night out on the town.

' _She doesn't wear more than a few scraps of cloth held together by string,'_ Julian joked, and I could hear his mental projection echo its way through my mind even though he was nowhere to be seen.

As I turned the corner into the living room, I spotted the Gallade lounging on a leather couch with that familiar smarmy smile. I gave him a small wave of the hand as he tipped his drink at me, and although he couldn't do much to accessorise, he too was shining like he had just come from a bubble-bath.

The living room's design was very… atypical. Random pieces of furniture were strewn around the floor with little coordination, and I instantly noticed just how large the place was. The center of the room was filled with empty space that could have put the lodge to shame, except for a few chairs and stools that I couldn't explain the purpose of. Large blinds covered the windows to block the view of any watchful eyes from outside, and a lamp from the corner bathed the room in a warm, fiery glow.

A glass table adorned with sparse ornaments stood shakily on the laminated, wooden flooring. It was about the only decoration in the entire room, with the rest looking like it was needed out of necessity rather than vanity. I could spy some photo frames with pictures of Katie and Julian, with some even featuring Brandon or Hannah. I thought that the tanned worker would have arrived before us, but he was nowhere to be seen even as I scanned the room for a second time.

"Brandon!" Katie called, cupping a hand to her ear and aiming her voice to the door on the far side of the room. Hannah motioned me over to the smaller couch that was facing opposite Julian's as she threw off her shoes with little care to where they landed. "Hurry up doing whatever it is you're doing and get out here!"

"So, welcome to our humble abode," Julian said sarcastically, raising his arms in a royal gesture and almost spilling the rest of his drink. Katie shot the best glare she could muster at the psychic type as she fell down beside him, though the sigh she let out as she looked around told me that she thought the same as him. "I wanted a bachelor pad myself, but she wanted something that wasn't 'embarrassing'."

"He still fucking asks if we can put a pool table in the middle of this room," she groaned, like they had been through the topic a thousand different times. The Gallade just laughed as he placed his glass on the wooden coffee table wedged in-between the two couches. I couldn't ever imagine him playing pool as his psychic powers would probably trivialise the whole thing.

"Still better than living at the lodge," Hannah snickered, petting at Eloise as she had scurried out of my arms and over to hers. I hadn't expected her to warm up to my girlfriend as quickly as she did, just because she was so attached to me, but she was probably going to be like that with everyone. If I trusted someone, she would trust someone. "Sometimes it feels like I'm in The Shining with how often I'm stuck in there."

"You better not go crazy and try to kill me when I stay over," I said, rolling my eyes at the dated movie reference. I noticed the first time I had seen her room that one of her cabinets had quite the collection of DVDs, so I imagined they were what she used to pass the time when she was too tired for much else. Anime was more my area of expertise, but I was glad that she could be just as nerdy about similar things.

"All work and no play does describe you pretty well," Julian commented, ushering a tight-lipped murmur from Hannah. Even though she was devoted to the eggs at the ranch and enjoyed working there, I had to agree with him. I had no idea how she could have such a stressful job and remain to be active and enthusiastic, so she must have felt stifled sometimes.

"Well, she's here to play now," Katie smiled, sensing that Hannah didn't want to be reminded of her duties. Wren looked utterly bewildered about what we were talking about, and it made me wonder about how interested he would be in films and other such things. He seemed intellectually capable enough to understand them. "Let's use tonight not only to welcome Alex officially into our circle, but as a chance for us to unwind, yeah?"

"Speaking of tonight…!" Brandon shouted, bashing open the door with his shoulder not only just to make a dramatic entrance, but because he was carrying a crate of something in his muscled arms. The clinking of glass bottles continued after his words as he stepped over to the table we were all sitting around. "I put these in your fridge a few days ago, and I thought we could use some of them."

"I didn't even notice they were there!" Katie replied incredulously, taking out a mysterious brown bottle from the crate and inspecting it thoroughly. Her lips curled in a mischievous grin as she twirled around the liquid inside. "I thought you said that you couldn't get any more for a while?"

"I asked for an extra batch last time we saw him, and I've been saving it for a special occasion," he smiled gleefully, proud to have made such an impression. I had no idea what they were talking about, but whatever it was, it definitely sounded shady. I couldn't imagine Brandon going to a back alley and asking for some bootleg alcohol, but the bottles were telling me otherwise.

"We better let Alex know what he's getting into," Julian said, either having read my mind and sensed my confusion, or was just letting his responsible side shine through. Everyone's eyes fell upon me, and it suddenly made me remember just how new to this group I really was. I didn't have a good reason to know what they were talking about, but it made me feel pretty uncool. "Or have we not learned our lesson like last time in Alola?"

"Don't," Hannah scowled, with the same queasy look she had shown earlier in the lodge's living room. Whatever this Alola trip they had all taken entailed, she obviously didn't look back on it with fondness. She had mentioned she was hardly sober for it, so was this really some sort of synthesised alcohol?

"This…" Brandon began, taking a bottle in his hand and shaking it at me for added effect. "Is basically ambrosia for poképhiles."

"We've been told that it's a mixture of Blissey egg, alcohol and whatever mixer you want to put in it like lemonade," Katie elaborated, obviously not pleased with Brandon's vague, albeit enthusiastic, explanation. "You've probably heard the stories of how a Blissey will give away one of her unfertilised eggs for people to eat, to calm them down and make them feel happiness, right?"

"Well, when a tiny bit of this egg is added to alcohol, it makes such a potent aphrodisiac that it allows you to have sex about ten times in a row without feeling any fatigue," Julian grinned, adopting a villainous smile that only grew in intensity when he was offered a bottle of the stuff. The Alola vacation was starting to make a lot more sense now that I had context.

"He's definitely over-exaggerating a bit, but you only need to take a couple sips before you'll start to feel in the mood," Hannah smiled, giving me that sultry, lopsided grin that could have done the job all on its own. This drink was starting to sound just like an overblown fantasy, but they were all giving me serious looks. "You know how you were saying how tired you were getting just from a couple days of fucking?"

"Yeah, like how I could sleep nonstop for a week," I recalled, suddenly remembering that feeling all too well. I had sufficiently recharged since then, but going through the afterglow of sex again and again had taken its toll on me. My stamina was nowhere near that of the others, and I doubted that some miracle concoction could ever change that.

"This drink will not only restore your energy and make you less sleepy, but temporarily raise your desire for sex to such a level that you won't be satisfied just cumming once," Brandon said, and it was one of the rare occasions that I had heard him being so vulgar. Dirty words just didn't sound right coming from his warm, kind smile. "It has a more potent effect on guys, so it means we don't have to wait a while before we're able to go at it again."

"Who the hell discovered that this sort of thing exists?" I asked, barely able to follow what they were saying. Aphrodisiacs definitely existed, but this was going far beyond that in ways that should have been impossible. Then again, a Blissey egg did contribute to the drink's effect, and they were known for doing miraculous things.

"Nobody knows it's true creator, and for that reason it goes by many names," Julian began, his words layered in a grand tone like he was talking about some mythical potion brewed by a wizard. He was being so absurd that I couldn't help but snicker, and he seemed to be enjoying the attention. "The guy that supplies it to Brandon liked that he calls it ambrosia, so most people around these parts have started to name it that as well."

"I think it was popularised by the poképhile community in rural Sinnoh, mostly around the redneck farms and ranches in Solaceon," Hannah added, scratching her chin like she was deep in thought. I had no idea how long she had been away from her home region for, but it probably took a lot of effort for her to remember things about it. "I remember hearing about it back when it was really new, but it's all over the place nowadays. Ronan, the shady guy who sells it to us, is from Sinnoh originally as well."

"Better save it for when we get into the actual thick of things," Brandon thought aloud, collecting the bottles that he had passed out and sheathing them into the crate once again. He was handling them like they were volatile and could explode at any moment, and now that I heard an explanation, I didn't dare doubt their potency. Regular hangovers were awful enough without all the bells and whistles.

"Right!" Katie clapped her hands, reminding me of the way Hannah would enthusiastically keep the group moving forward. It seemed that when the strawberry-blond trainer wasn't present, my girlfriend would try and fill her role. "I know this isn't exactly glamorous, but we need to sort out how we're gonna go about this whole thing."

.-.-.-.-.-.

The next couple of hours were spent getting comfortable over a bunch of unhealthy takeout food while discussing the plans for tonight. It was nice to hang out with everyone in a casual setting where people were more relaxed, and many laughs were shared over mouthfuls of our meal. It was odd that we were discussing the technicalities of the orgy like it was a challenge that we would have to work together to overcome, but I understood that even casual flings like this had to have a semblance of order.

Now that we had shifted into dusk and the artificial glow of streetlamps peaked through the curtains, things had started to take a turn that I had come to expect from my lustful co-workers. Katie couldn't help but basically lie across her Gallade's lap, letting her fingers slowly dance and twirl their way across his thighs like she was trying her utmost to tease him. Brandon kept fidgeting with the Pokéballs on his waist, eager to unleash his energetic electric types into the room to make the place spring to life. The tension in the air was palpable.

"Oh, somebody just fuck someone else already," Hannah pleaded, unable to bear everyone's wariness about the situation. She clicked open the spheres on her belt with quick succession, sending everyone reeling as the bright lights assaulted our senses. Her team materialised with confused glances and stares, barely taking up any space in the massive living room. "I'm not gonna be the one who starts this whole thing off on my own again."

Before I knew it, everything devolved into chaos at the behest of my girlfriend's words. She smirked proudly as various articles of clothing were thrown in our direction, and I could only watch in amazement with how effectively her words had spurred the two others sitting across from us. Brandon added to the Pokémon pile in the center of the room as he pulled off his shirt, and Katie was already lip locked with her Gallade, their hands exploring every inch of each other. Hannah tossed a bottle of ambrosia at my hands with reckless abandon, letting me fumble with the cool glass which had nearly just been smashed against the hardwood floor.

"Drink up," She commanded, unfastening the button on her tight-fitting jeans with ease which lead me to believe it had been loosed with years of abuse. I popped the cap open, letting the bottle hiss at me as the fizz threatened to overflow and soak the couch we were sitting on. "You'll need it to handle the both of us."

Not wanting to miss out on any of the action, I barely heeded their earlier warnings as I brought the bottle to my eager lips. A sweet, nectary liquid coated my tongue as I took a hearty swig – a little more than I was previously told to take otherwise. It had the consistency and sugary taste of honey, the substance barely able to crawl its way to my throat before I took a laboured swallow. I watched through slanted eyes as everyone did the same, Julian and Katie sharing a bottle between them both.

I only had enough time to set the unmarked bottle back down on the table before I felt the effects hit me like a runaway train. My surroundings twisted and warped as every colour in the room seemed to get brighter, Hannah's baby-pink hair turning the same colour as her Salazzle's neon markings. An indescribable tingle oozed its way down my throat and spread to my various limbs, making it feel like my blood had gotten thicker and was struggling to flow through my veins. When everything began to normalise again, I felt the overwhelming urge to just pin down the next person I saw until I was satisfied. Desire shot down to my waist, encompassing me in a delirious haze. I barely noticed that an excited, naughty grin had spread across my face.

I had also failed to notice that my jeans were starting to be pulled off, by none other than my girlfriend and her gorgeous Lopunny. Everything else faded away in the background, Eloise and the others becoming little more than obscured blurs as my attention had been grasped by the two girls and their lusty eyes. Britney's pink nose wiggled curiously as she found her way to my boxers, her furry hands tickling my inner thighs as she searched around for my arousal. Hannah tossed my jeans somewhere far behind her and whispered about how I wouldn't be needing them for the rest of the night. It took all my focus just to comprehend her words.

Usually, I would have been intimidated at being handled by an experienced Pokémon, but the ambrosia had hijacked my reasoning and only made me lust after release. The normal type pulled my boxers down eagerly, giggling as my aching hard cock bounced to attention. Even the cool air in the room brushing against my bare skin was enough to send a surge of pleasure through my body, so when Britney wrapped a supple, smooth hand around me, I bucked my hips impulsively and felt close to already blowing my load. She raised one fluffy eyebrow at me, her light clutch teasing at my wanting state. I felt heavy, barely able to do much else but moan as her fingertips skilfully worked their way down my shaft.

Hannah flashed me a sultry smile while leaning forwards, pausing to watch the anticipation spread across my face as her flushed, hot breath set my skin aflame. She took a slow, careful lick along my length, savouring the taste on her tongue as she let it curl back into her mouth. I shivered at the sensation, causing the two girls to smirk at each like they had just been struck with an amazing idea at the same time. I was completely at their mercy, the ambrosia paralysing me with a hedonistic thrill.

My girlfriend and her Lopunny gave each other a sloppy kiss over my cock, Britney sucking on my head playfully as Hannah's tongue explored not only the sultry bunny's maw, but every inch of me as well. The normal type's rough tongue flicked at my cock-slit greedily as she tried to taste my precum, her wanting eyes only losing focus on mine whenever Hannah's tongue would meet hers. My fingers dug into the sides of the couch as their combined skill was working me into a frenzy. I felt Hannah's breath creep lower and lower, leaving Britney to toy with me as she pleased.

Hannah's lips pursed as she suckled softly on my balls, trying to coax me closer and closer to the beginnings of a climax. Her sure, careful arms were pushing my legs apart as she swirled the tip of her tongue across my sack. I raised my hands and ran them through her short pink hair, guiding her down and holding her in place forcefully. The drink was bringing out a dominant side to me, which delighted the girls to no end. She backed off with a grin, biting playfully on a part of her lip as she ran her hands down Britney's voluptuous ears.

This spurred the bunny to finally sink her head down, her pink nose wiggling against my waist as her mouth opened for me. Hannah left my side as Britney bobbed her head, coating my dick in a thick mixture of both their saliva. She knelt down behind her starter's wiggling rump, playing with her pom-pom tail lovingly as Britney spread her legs. The pink hair disappeared, and I would have given anything in the world to see what was going on down there.

My attention quickly returned to the Lopunny as she let out a muffled moan, her eyes now wrenched shut in pleasure as she shivered against her trainer's tongue. She raised her ass high into the air with her powerful, long legs. Everyone else in the room momentarily stopped whatever debauchery they were committing to marvel at Britney presenting herself, Katie giving me a thumbs-up before sinking back down on her Zangoose's thick member. The room was still hazy with the effects of the ambrosia, but I could have sworn Baxter and Eloise were a lot closer together than before.

Britney's movements were becoming less controlled as she slobbered against my cock, barely able to stop herself from crying out. Her frantic lip-service was enough for me to lose composure, as even the mere idea of her gagging against me while her trainer went down on her was about the hottest thing I had ever experienced. My hands held tight onto her long ears like makeshift reigns as I threw the last of my hesitance out the window. I had no idea whether it was the ambrosia reaching the peak of its effect or just my own inner feelings, but I wanted to make this Lopunny choke on my cock.

Her eyes went wide as I pulled her ears down, her cream-coloured arms flailing wildly as she was brought out of her stupor. She became acutely aware of just what I was doing, the sides of her lips curling upwards as she tried her best to smile passionately. The tip of my dick slid down her throat causing her to cough and splutter, spit sliding down the sides of my cock and pooling on my crotch. The gagging action of her narrow throat massaged against my head while her tongue flailed against the underside of my shaft.

Hannah spanked her ass, no doubt hearing the panicked sounds coming from her starter. She yelped with pleasure, shaking her butt as if to ask for another one while she deepthroated me. I had never met a Pokemon who was able to take this much punishment, and it seemed like Britney completely revelled in it. Her nymphomaniac tendencies would have been worrying to me, if I hadn't been completely overtaken by primal urges.

A shudder completely blindsided me as my cock twitched with a frantic impatience I had never experienced. Usually, there was a build-up and I knew exactly when it was about to happen, but this ambrosia had to be doing something to me. I lurched forwards, trapping Britney's head in-between my thighs as every muscle in my body clenched like I was being electrocuted. I unloaded inside her unexpecting mouth, completely oblivious to the cries of protest coming from the poor bunny under my weight. As soon as I was aware of myself again, I pulled out.

She coughed, letting strands of cum dribble down her front as I shot the rest across her chocolate-coloured face. She lay there, barely able to hold herself up as she was glazed with my thick, white semen. Amidst her pained gasping were what sounded like laughs, as she brought a fluffy paw up to wipe at her mouth. Her shivering had ceased, and I noticed Hannah's face peaking out from her partner's backside, her lips and chin covered in fluids.

"At least, like, give me a warning next time, or something… yeah?" she panted with a pout, looking utterly displeased as her pristine coat had been sullied by my fluids. My head was still light and hazy not only from an orgasm, but the ambrosia's wondrous effects. The warmth that I experienced was incredible, so I felt no ounce of concern for the Lopunny lying in front of me and only offered her a dumb smile.

"It looks like this stuff is revealing quite the cruel streak in our sweet little Alex," Hannah giggled, getting off her knees and taking a sip of the drink in question herself. There were bottles lying all around the room and I had no idea who they each belonged to, though I doubted she cared as she picked up the one nearest her. "I knew it was hidden in there somewhere."

"You'll, like, get used to how weird it feels pretty quick with how often we drink it," Britney comforted while doing her best to clean off her thick fur. Her features were blurred and unfocused, almost like I was watching her through a foggy window. I probably looked stupid with how little I was moving, but the only thing I could care about right now was who I was going to pleasure next. "How is it, like, making you feel?"

"Feels like I could take on everyone at the ranch and still be fine," I laughed, marvelling at the lack of fatigue that I was feeling. This ambrosia entirely removed the need for the sluggish afterglow of sex, like some sort of sugar-filled energy drink specifically made for sex addicts. "S'that a good sign?"

"Definitely," Hannah replied, peering around the room as if looking for her next partner. I could still barely see a few feet in front of the couch, but those that were close to me seemed to be enjoying themselves. Wren had left my side sometime during my session with Hannah and Britney, and I just hoped he had either found someone or at least quiet place where he wouldn't feel too overwhelmed. "Now that we've had our fun with you, it should really be someone else's turn."

"I don't think I can get up and walk around just yet, so you'll have to bring them to me," I chuckled, trying to raise one of my legs to prove my point. Ignoring the earlier advice and taking a big swig from the bottle was coming back to bite me, and I just prayed that the hangover wasn't going to be too horrendous. I barely had time to think about that though, as a renewed surge of desire rushed its way through my veins. At least one part of me was able to still move.

"The first sip is always the hardest," Hannah sighed, looking at me with a hint of pity in her eyes. Even though she had drunk the same amount as me, she still looked level-headed and conscious enough to make proper decisions. She had probably built up a resistance to the Blissey egg over years of use. "Just sit here and try to chill out for a second, I'll send someone over soon."

.-.-.-.-.-.

As I sat there alone, boxers still pulled down to my thin ankles, the upbeat living room slowly started to come into focus once again as my inexperienced body acclimated to the ambrosia. Everywhere that I looked, humans and Pokemon were locked together in various kinky positions, their lustful moans creating a wonderful symphony of sin. Katie, with beads of sweat dripping down her curvy figure, had satisfied her intimidating Zangoose, who was sprawled happily on the floor like a Skitty that got the cream. The fur on his scarred waist was matted and sticky as his trainer continued to straddle him, planting loving kisses on his chest. Brandon had bent his tiny Emolga over the armrest of the farthest couch, his tanned back muscles twisting and contorting beautifully as he slammed into the squealing electric squirrel. The ranch worker's thick-framed glasses had fogged up, but that didn't deter him from reaching a steady hand down to pleasure his small partner. What a lucky Pokémon.

With their ravenous trainers preoccupied, many other Pokémon sought pleasure in each other. Indra growled possessively as he mounted a panting Victoria like she was a common bitch. Frantic sparks danced across her black, leathery skin as her serrated jaw unhinged in bliss, serpentine tongue slithering against her steaming, busty chest. The markings on her underbelly rhythmically flashed a bright, hot pink with every powerful thrust. Indra was also glowing with volatile, electrical energy that created a scarily fascinating lightshow. Victoria's spindly limbs convulsed uncontrollably as she received countless paralysing shocks.

To my initial surprise, not too far away from the sparking couple, Baxter's tiny, fluffy hips were feverishly pumping away at a cloudy mass I instantly recognised as Eloise. Her shrill, avian squawks pierced through every single noise in the room as the perverted Minccino grabbed her by the wings and ravaged her with all the might he could muster. The cute tuft of hair on his head and his gigantic ears were wobbling amidst his determined expression. His cock couldn't have been more than a couple inches in length, but he sure knew how to use it. The little guy was certainly giving it his all to pleasure my partner, so I couldn't complain.

While I had been fully distracted by the two young, novice Pokémon, a captivating presence had somehow managed to creep up beside me on the lonely couch. Turning away from the debauchery for the moment, I was immediately greeted by a pair of ocean-blue, sparkling eyes that almost didn't look real. Those sickeningly adorable features could only have belonged to Katie's dangerous Sylveon, Maxxie. His flowing, silky ribbons were already caressing my bare skin, and his kinky, fanged smirk instantly told me what he wanted. I could barely remember Julian's past warnings about Maxxie's Cute Charm ability due to the miraculous ambrosia, but I knew that he could beguile anyone with just a meaningful look. Hannah must have sent him here on purpose. I already couldn't tear my eyes way from him.

"Hey there, hot stuff," Maxxie sang, acutely aware of the effect he was having. "A birdie with pink feathers and tattoos told me that you're looking for some fun with little ol' me."

"That birdie sure does know how to pick 'em," I sighed dreamily, watching with supernatural fascination as Maxxie fluttered his eyelashes and licked at one of his front paws suggestively. The combination of the ambrosia and Cute Charm was making my head spin, and intrusive thoughts about forcing this bratty Sylveon to mewl under my body caused me to shudder. "Just what kind of fun are we talking about here?"

"Well, actions speak louder than words, handsome," Maxxie taunted, his smooth ribbons creeping closer towards my thighs with every saccharine word. "Why don't you show me?"

His alluring question sent me far over the edge of sanity. Feeling like I had just been possessed by some kind of depraved demon, an uncontrollable urge to dominate anything in sight pulled me onto unsteady feet. I almost collapsed onto the cluttered table due to my weak, wobbling knees. I took hold Maxxie by his paper-thin, flowing ribbons for support and twirled them around until our warm bodies were touching, entwined by the swirling appendages. Grinning happily, Maxxie explored every inch of my body with the incredibly soft feelers, their velvety touch teasing me until my throbbing shaft was unbearably sensitive.

Bored of his excruciatingly slow and gentle foreplay, I impatiently flipped the surprised Sylveon around in my skinny arms and dropped him roughly back onto the couch. He giggled softly as he bounced on the springy surface, shaking his round backside cheekily with a wink. I wanted to find a way to wipe that pleased smirk off of his face, so I seized him by his delicate tail and lifted it forcefully, exposing his tight hole which caused him to yelp in shock. His pink asshole was still unsullied despite the events of tonight, and I was unreasonably pleased to have gotten to it first. It looked absolutely perfect. I couldn't wait to ruin it.

He raised his snowy-white haunches even further, fully presenting to me with practiced confidence. His ample, furry balls were actually quite large for a Pokémon his size, and as I gave them an assertive rub, his distinctively feline cock began to rise out from the sea of fur. Even though I was eager to plunge myself deep into his tight tailhole, it was my first time seeing the underside of an Eeveelution, so I couldn't help but stop to admire it. Even under the effects of the ambrosia and Maxxie's Cute Charm, my curiosity for anatomy didn't die. The tension was making the experienced Sylveon squirm under my intense, inquisitive gaze.

"I feel like I'm being examined for a contest here," Maxxie blurted out, his bratty, trickster façade faltering somewhat as his bottom lip quivered nervously. "You almost done, nosy?"

"Not yet," I grinned mischievously. "Being thorough is a part of my job."

In one swift motion, I coated two of my long fingers in saliva that smelled like alcohol and jammed them far into the Sylveon's ass until my knuckles were tickling at his pristine coat. Immediately, he tightened around in the intruding presence and almost leapt a foot in the air. He stifled a yelp which trailed off into a long, high-pitched whine as my deft fingers explored his warm, twitching hole. With every aroused breath, he would clench and release my hand. The very tips of my fingers managed to caress a new, rougher surface that I anticipated would get a wonderful reaction, and sure enough, his bright-red, feline dick twitched and dribbled a bead of translucent pre-cum onto the dark leather couch as I massaged his sensitive prostate. Watching him pant in shame, I spat on my other hand and rubbed my stiff member slowly.

"Tell me what you want, Maxxie," I commanded, revelling in the level of total control that I had over the whining Sylveon. Hannah was definitely right about my hidden dominant streak.

"I want you…." he pleaded, looking back at me with glittering, yearning eyes. "Alex…"

"Not good enough," I responded harshly, pausing momentarily in my massage to deny him any sort of stimulation whatsoever. I felt his entire lithe body tense fearfully in anticipation. Those many weeks that I would spend watching terribly-acted porn videos when I was younger were finally starting to be useful. "I need specifics, Maxxie."

"Your cock!" he cried loudly, causing the entire room to fall into an astounded silence. Every single member of the orgy stopped their grinding and moaning to look over at the Sylveon. Toying with a Pokémon who got pleasure in bewitching others was so satisfying. "Please!"

"Good boy," I replied, strongly patting him on the ass with a sticky hand as I removed my fingers without any warning. The fairy type collapsed onto the couch with a mumbled mewl.

Although I had been acting very cool-headed and indifferent, that couldn't have been further from the truth. This whole time, I had barely been able to hold myself back ever since I lifted up his elaborate tail and laid eyes upon his flawless, heart-shaped butt. I decided to finally let the kinky demon inside me take over as I positioned the head of my lengthy dick in such a way that it was poking softly against his fleshy, lubricated entrance. Despite his experience, Maxxie couldn't help but tighten reflexively as I pushed the first inch of my shaft inside him. It was my first time penetrating someone anally, and it was heavenly. I groaned noisily and swore under my inebriated breath as the warm, squeezing pressure almost pushed me out.

Even though Maxxie looked and acted like a slut, he had somehow managed to maintain a tight hole that could have fooled me into believing he was a virgin. The Sylveon shivered euphorically as he sank backwards on my hard shaft until I was pressed right to the hilt. Even with all the activity around us, we both stood extremely still, basking only in the heat of each other's bodies and nothing else. I could almost sense the sweet fairy type's intense heartbeat. I was so enthralled with pleasure that I barely felt his white, lustrous ribbons tangle their way around my motionless waist, locking me firmly in place with surprising strength. My ambrosia-addled mind made every pleasant caress feel like a merciless whip crack that set my skin aflame. Enraptured, I gripped the closest ribbon and twisted it between my trembling fingers like a leash, causing Maxxie to curve his flexible spine and cry out uncontrollably.

Like an obedient pet, he slackened the soft ribbons until I had enough room to start thrusting. Each primal push forward made the Sylveon stifle a girlish squeal with his front paws as I rammed his lightweight body into the springy couch, which repeatedly crashed into the wall it was propped against. He tried his best to steady himself after every thrust, but it wasn't long until he was lying spread-eagled on a pile of pillows, his legs splayed out awkwardly. Neither of us cared about how much noise we were making. In fact, I hoped that everyone in the whole apartment block could hear me dominate this Sylveon like my life depended on it. Watching in satisfaction as Maxxie reached for a cushion to muffle his loud moaning, I gave the poor fairy-type a few seconds to compose himself as I played with his pink, fluffy ears.

In the fleeting moment of flushed respite, I suddenly felt a warm, unknown sensation press curiously against my backside. It was oddly gentle and weightless, like someone had started to tickle my ass with a large, elaborate feather. Craning my neck to get a better look, I finally noticed that the longest pair of Maxxie's prehensible ribbons had snuck away from hugging my slender waist and decided to explore an area that was a little more private. More urgently however, was Brandon's excitable Blitzle staring at the fuzzy feelers that were attempting to spread my cheeks for him. His damp, bulbous muzzle indicated it wasn't the first hole he had been curious enough to inspect tonight. The electric zebra whinnied as if to ask permission.

"Go for it, buddy," I allowed, glancing over to an occupied Brandon. "Knock yourself out."

Before I had even finished my wry comment, Dominic charged eagerly towards me and buried his snout deep in my derriere like some kind of equine torpedo. The edges of Maxxie's ribbons stretched my backdoor to allow the Blitzle entry. The rough sensation of his textured nose almost made my knees buckle as a shower of joyful, electrical sparks travelled swiftly down my legs and dissipated across the floor. The zebra sighed a blast of hot air against my sweaty, bare skin as he wallowed in my scent, his white, stubby tail illuminating happily. Honestly, it was quite flattering to watch someone get so excited about a place most others would actively avoid. Appreciation quickly shifted into uncontrollable arousal as the dirty Blitzle's thick, electrifying tongue began lapping in concentrated bursts against my asshole.

The clumsy oral stimulation had almost made me forget that I was still balls-deep in a Sylveon. Leaving Dominic to neigh and snort in delight, I began to pound Maxxie with renewed energy. My bare toes wriggled into the carpet as I groaned, the combined efforts of the two quadrupeds causing my mind to go blank. Overstimulated, I soon doubled over and held onto Maxxie's thin waist for support. Leaning weakly onto him gave Dominic the opportunity to penetrate me with his impressively long tongue. I could barely continue thrusting my hips as I reached the beginnings of orgasm, nibbling one of Maxie's long, fluffy ears to silence my thrilled cries. His supple ribbons were handling most of my movement.

With one final, powerful jab at his prostate, Maxxie yowled and painted one of the couch cushions in a thick layer of sticky, white fluid. Feeling him shiver and instinctively buck his shapely hips under me was just too much to handle. Once again, the ambrosia-induced orgasm almost knocked me unconscious as a volcanic warmth exploded from within me. Every single inch of me electrified as if Dominic had hit me with a Thunderbolt. I thrashed against an unresponsive Maxxie as his ribbons fell limp, spraying my seed deep inside him until my dick slipped out of his ass, the rest spurting against his appropriately-coloured coat.

In fact, my orgasm was so incredibly potent that I lost the rest of my balance and tumbled numbly to the floor. Narrowly missing the hardwood table by an inch, I pulled a relaxed Maxxie down with me by his remaining ribbons. Dominic skittered away with a startled whinny as we landed in a crumpled heap, further entangled together by the Sylveon's feelers, lying in a pool of our own cooling fluids. Instead of quickly getting up, I couldn't help but laugh like a madman as the concerned faces of my naked co-workers popped into my view. Ambrosia was absolutely incredible. I came so hard it literally knocked me off my feet.

I could easily see myself getting addicted to the stuff. Already, I was craving another bottle. This insane night was just getting started, and I knew I wouldn't be stopping any time soon.


	12. Eyes of a Wren

**Author's Note:**

To start the new year off with a **bang** , we have a special chapter that will be the very first told from the perspective of a Pokémon! At various points in the story going forwards, we'll take a break from following Alex and get a chance to see what one of his furry friends is up to! These chapters will be written in third-person to differentiate them from the normal ones and will usually be shorter to give me more time to work on developing the ongoing story. The demand for Lilycove far exceeded my expectations, so hopefully these mini-chapters will make up for the long absences. Juggling university work, writing fanfiction and my hobbies isn't easy, but it's worth it every time I get to read one of your reviews! Feel free to tell me what you think about this new style of writing, as I attempted to capture the personality of the featured Pokemon within the narration. You can probably already tell who the focus of this chapter is by the title, but you might want to read along with a dictionary in hand to understand his strange, eloquent speech! I hope that I captured his odd personality properly.

Anyway, please enjoy this new, experimental chapter as it was an absolute blast to write! We'll be back to the normal style for Chapter 13. Thanks for being an awesome fanbase!

* * *

Wren sighed dejectedly.

It had been a couple hours since all of the humans had fallen into a deep, unconscious state, ghosts of contented smiles still faintly present on their impassive visages. Some still clutched at the peculiar, sweet-smelling glass containers which Wren did not wish to imbibe in for fear of losing control over himself. It was as if the four humans still desired to continue with their debaucherous revelry even in slumber. Their paltry stamina had pulled them unwillingly into the dark, unforgiving realm of rest far before any of them had intended to finish their encounters, but inappropriately, he was still awake. Sleep frightened him. Try as he might to reassure himself, sleep reminded him of being trapped in that unnerving, digital sphere. The two were not dissimilar, both endless voids from which conscious escape of was not possible. Inevitability had always perplexed him to no end.

And so, there he was – crouched over his oblivious trainer's limp body like an ornamental gargoyle, watching quietly as the human's bare, slender chest undulated with every shallow, instinctive breath. They appeared so fragile while incognisant. With one deft swipe of his frigid claws, he could snuff out a human life like effortlessly blowing out a candle-flame. Grimacing, he shook his head and scolded himself silently. If he was ever going to live a normal existence, he would have to stop thinking in such a deplorable manner. He was safe. Morbidity was not a useful asset to him anymore. His days in the wild were over forever.

"He looks really cute when he's asleep, doesn't he?" a sonorous, innocent voice whispered from somewhere inside the obscuring shadows, swiftly snapping him from a morose stupor.

Eloise. Wren assumed that the young Swablu had fallen asleep before most other denizens, due to her delicate stature and immature, hyperactive temperament. Such a small creature needed sufficient rest for healthy growth. She was still a mere hatchling, after all – not old enough to stay awake near the imminent sunrise. Had he been a braver specimen, he would have told the prodding avian to leave him alone with his intrusive thoughts, but she was his comrade now. They were bound together in the resilient twine that was the undying love of their slumbering trainer. That was perhaps the only aspect they would ever wholly share. While he attempted to think of a suitable reply to the whelp, the Swablu pulled over a mound of comfortable fabric towards him with her beak. Wren believed they were called 'pillows'.

"I suppose so, yes," he replied curtly, brushing aside a lengthy, stray hair from Alex's vacant face with a careful, freezing claw. He couldn't begin to explain his dear trainer's need to maintain such an unusual, bothersome hairstyle. He let himself smile softly in the darkness. Amusingly, that had been one of the questions constantly plaguing his rapid mind as of late.

"Did you have fun tonight, Wren?" Eloise asked excitedly, seemingly unable to stay on a single topic for more than a few seconds. To others, her curiosity was likely endearing.

"As much merriment as one like myself could have in this circumstance," he responded, noticing that his cumulous comrade's beak twisted in confusion at his odd pattern of speech. "I had quite an enjoyable, intelligent discussion with a veteran member of Hannah's team – Oleander the Toxicroak. He's very intriguing, albeit with a somewhat unsettling mindset."

"I… don't really understand what you mean, but I'm glad that you made a new friend!" the Swablu chirped simply after a prolonged pause. It bothered Wren that he had to handicap his archaic vocabulary when conversing with the hatchling, since selecting the most elaborate words and phrases helped to ease his mind when facing foreign, adverse social situations. Perhaps it was for the best that she could not comprehend all of his words for the time being. She would learn them soon enough. He was playing an accidental role in her education.

"Although, I cannot help feeling like an outsider in a place such as this," Wren exhaled laboriously, deciding to confide in the boisterous creature. Her innocent, humble mind could assist in soothing his unstable nerves. Sometimes, a simple approach was refreshing. "Witnessing so many sexual acts in such a casual manner was startling, to say the least."

"Well, haven't you already experimented a little with Alex?" Eloise questioned, her melodious tone growing more subdued as she bounced closer to his hunched, glacial form. Her woollen feathers caressed his dense, wiry coat compassionately as she nested amongst the fibres of the white, tattered pillow by his side. It was comforting. "How is this different?"

"Alex is… special," Wren stated, failing outright to find an appropriate word that encapsulated his complex feelings. At least Eloise would understand him. "Presently, I have minimal desire to seek pleasure elsewhere, especially with those I am unacquainted with."

"So, you only want to mate with your friends?" Eloise clarified, impressively managing to understand his hushed words without fail. Perhaps he should begin giving her more acclaim. "I don't think that's weird, Wren. I want to share fun, special things with my friends too!"

"Affirmative," he blushed, wondering if the compact, blue avian considered him to be an ally. "In all honesty, I was rather disappointed that Alex and I could not consummate our love this evening, although, upon analysis, that may have been for the best. I did not wish to indulge Alex when his mind was addled by that strange substance all the humans were imbibing in."

"You're a strange Pokémon," Eloise warbled softly, wrapping a gentle wing around his waist and patting smoothly at his quivering back. Surprisingly, he did not feel himself tense or flinch.

"Of that I am aware," the Sneasel responded with a subtle, embarrassed smirk. The warmth emanating from her cloudy pinions started to melt the translucent ice coating his bitter fleece.

"Strange… but really cute," she quipped, caressing him in an uncharacteristic, sultry fashion that was eliciting warmth in an entirely different manner. Erotic images began to invade Wren's hurried mind, overloading his senses and causing him to finally shudder under her touch. Her compliment made him turn scarlet. "Tell me Wren, am I one of your friends?"

"Truthfully, I have no experience with these types of relationships, but since we are both under Alex's care… that is to say, sharing a common environment…" Wren flustered, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of pervasive thoughts assaulting his weak, fragile psyche. He avoided the curious gaze of the temptress, choosing to stare at his unconscious trainer. "Would, in fact, make us acquaintances, yes? I am not sure. It is a troubling conclusion."

"Just relax," Eloise comforted, preening his moistened coat with her white, powerful beak. "Your body is telling me all that I need to know. It happened with Alex and Baxter too."

Bewildered, Wren peered down at himself only to be met with the tapered head of his small erection poking out from a dense, murky sea of fur. The fleshy, red member was clearly visible even in the gloomy darkness. His crimson eyes widened as he shielded the manifestation of his lust from the young Eloise's view, cursing eloquently under his panicked breath. He had managed to maintain his dignified composure throughout the entire evening, even amidst all of the arousing, debaucherous sights and sounds. And yet, he had fallen at the final, simplest hurdle. Boreal claws sent a chill down his spine as he grasped at his surging member, turning away from the curious Swablu, even though he wished to stay motionless.

"Since we're friends, do you want me to take care of that for you?" Eloise asked innocently, flapping her velvety wings until the two were face-to-face once more. "I feel bad that you went the full night without mating with anyone. Friends should help each other, right?"

Yes. No. Two concise options appeared before Wren out of the obscuring twilight. Despite his hesitance, he could never fully resist the devilish desire welling up inside of him, but was this truly what the rational side of him wanted? He stared at the unjudging eyes of Eloise in suffocating silence as his throat seized, heartbeat loud as a drum in his sensitive ears. Suddenly, past advice from Alex during their encounter in the forest joined the two warring options and provided some much-needed clarity, as if his trainer was awake and speaking them aloud. Wren allowed these memories to resound through his skull, placating his anxiety.

" _ **There couldn't be a safer environment for you to figure yourself out."  
"You don't have to be so self-conscious anymore."  
"Those urges have become part of why I like you so much."**_

"Yes," Wren finally chose, willingly exposing himself after a composed, wavering exhale. Eloise's avian eyes swiftly fell upon his rigid, surging member. "I suppose you are correct."

"Good, I knew you'd agree with me!" Eloise chirped ecstatically, causing a few humans and Pokemon to shift and murmur in their inebriated slumber. She beckoned him towards the comfortable pillow and flashed a warm, loving smile. As best she could with a rigid beak. "Now come over here and let your new friend warm you up a little…"

True to her titillating words, the moment Wren had settled himself upon the white cushion, her flocculent wings had already enveloped his body in a tight, heavenly hug as she pushed her rotund form against his narrow chest. Writhing uncontrollably between his knees, the puffy lips of her entrance stroked his glacial shaft and teased it to full girth. Gazing upwards with infatuated ardour, she opened her beak and gasped breathily. His frosted skin must have been a new source of stimulation for his immature friend. Likewise, her gentle warmth had already submerged him into a placid pool of pleasure, even without the imminent penetration.

"You're so cold…" she moaned, her shrill voice muffled by his coarse hair. "It's like ice…"

Wren was receiving so much stimulation that he couldn't even begin to formulate a reply. Even something as simple as her hot breath sent scintillating tremors through his muscles, melting away his frigid exterior and making him feel weightless, swimming in the very air. Abruptly, the feeling magnified tenfold as the entirety of his penis slipped inside Eloise's entrance as if it had a mind of its own. The Sneasel felt lightheaded as the Swablu's sharp talons scratched against his thighs. She gyrated against his burning crotch as her cloudy wings massaged his back with their instinctive flapping. Her soft labia squeezed the base of his small shaft as the pointed head pressed forcefully against her pulsating, pillowy walls.

Overtaken by a primal, animalistic urge that reminded Wren of his time spent roaming the lawless wilds, he thrusted against the Swablu's feathered backside and grasped at her tail. Usually, his mind would be overflowing with thoughts and questions, but during this very moment, it was completely silent. All he could focus upon was the sick, hedonistic pleasure. Eloise clamped her beak closed to stifle her avian squawks, ripping out small patches of fur from his chest with each subsequent thrust. The pain only brought Wren more satisfaction and spurred him to buck his hips with even more intensity, until the two Pokémon were bouncing together in unison. Due to his regular, sub-zero body temperature, his appendages often felt numb and stiff, but now that they had been roused by Eloise's wings and insides, they were searing with life. His erection, most of all, felt like a rod of pure, otherworldly heat.

The dim, drowsing room was overtaken with muffled slaps and wet squelches, and the strong scent of sweat and Eloise's sweet juices flooded into Wren's delicate nostrils, lulling him into a foolish daze. Absentmindedly, his eyes wandered to his own trainer lying only a few feet away, oblivious to the sinful act that was being committed right under his nose. If only Alex opened his charming eyes, he would be greeted with the sight of Wren's manhood plunging inside his starter's pussy, with the music that was both of their pleasured groans, with the arousing smell of both their fluids seeping slowly into the white, sodden pillow below them. Surely, he would join the two of them if he were conscious. Maybe Alex would penetrate the Swablu's other, twitching hole, and Wren would be granted the honour of watching-

While engrossed in his fevered fantasising, he hadn't noticed that Eloise's movements had grown more frantic before it was too late. His rhythmic thrusting was interrupted by the delirious Swablu and her incoherent moans. Her inner walls clamped down on their invader like a powerful vice and pulsated with such intensity that it milked the orgasm out of him without warning. Watching as Eloise dribbled a trail of milky saliva across the dull, amber gem on his chest, his drooping, sweaty scrotum swelled and sent semen erupting from the slit atop his shaft. He pulled Eloise closer in a smothering embrace and held her forcefully down until he had deposited all of his thick seed deep within her core, body seizing in place.

They lay entwined until Wren's member retracted and fell soft once more, lost under his fur. The majority of his virile semen had leaked out onto his heaving belly and the nesting pillow, hardening into a clumped stain. Eloise nuzzled into his torso like the hatchling she was, surprisingly attempting to preen his stained coat with her keen beak, still drenched in spittle. Even though her stretched vulva was still steadily dripping onto the ruined, odorous cushion, she was doing her utmost to clean him off. He watched in fascination while basking in the serene afterglow, the familiar chill of his polar blood soon replacing the comforting warmth.

"Feeling better?" Eloise asked, after she had apparently satisfied her avian urge of grooming.

"Remarkably so," Wren whispered, the words coming to him instantly. "I hope that the experience was also enjoyable for you, as well. I have never felt warmth like that in my life."

"Yeah, it was fun!" the Swablu giggled, batting him happily with a weightless wing. "Although, for me, it was more like riding an icicle!"

"You have my thanks, Eloise," the Sneasel said after a relaxed chuckle. Humour had always been somewhat lost on him due to his prolonged solitude, but he understood that to be a joke. "You must have certainly noticed that I have a bothersome tendency to get mired in my own negative thoughts, but you have provided a rare moment of solace and pleasure for me."

"Well, we're friends and teammates now, so we have to do our best to help each other out!" Eloise responded, her jovial tone keeping Wren in high spirits. "If you ever wanna mate with me again, all you gotta do is ask nicely. Fun stuff is always way better when its shared!"

"Indeed," he yawned, fierce fangs glinting in the faint sunlight that had started to filter through the windows. "Though, I think it would be prudent for us to get some rest before everyone awakens. May we stay on this 'pillow'? The comfort it provides is astounding."

"Of course!" she chirped in response, cuddling deeply into the stained fabric and splaying her cosy, cumulous wings across his lithe body like a divine blanket. "Nighty night, Wren."

"Pleasant dreams, Eloise."


	13. Pallas Athene

**Author's Note:**

Hey! Before we get into the chapter, I just wanted to say that I always put status updates on my profile regarding when the next chapter will be posted! So yeah, if you're curious about Lilycove's progress - remember to check my profile! Since I'm studying at university, I can really only manage a proper chapter once every 1-2 months. Once summer break hits, hopefully I'll be able to speed up a bit and get to some more requests. Thanks for being very patient with me! It would be my dream to write stuff like this for a living, but understand I need to focus on myself first.

I hope you enjoy this more dialogue / plot-focused chapter, and look forward to the more 'fun stuff' in the future. ;)

* * *

"Oh, fuck me…" I groaned, lurching violently back into terrible consciousness with a pounding headache and a weak, grumbling stomach. I hadn't even opened my sore, heavy eyes yet and I already wanted to find the nearest toilet and throw up the remains of the takeout food and ambrosia still sloshing around inside me. I found myself lying totally naked on the floor, draped haphazardly in what looked to be the flowery curtains that had been removed from one of the windows. My throbbing face was painfully pressed against the cold, laminated flooring as I lay deathly still. Hazy memories from last night made me sigh loudly.

"You should've asked for that a few hours ago," a croaky, tired voice responded from beside me. It took me far longer than necessary to figure out it belonged to Hannah. I felt her skinny, warm arms wrap their way around me as she snuggled cosily against my bare waist. Her dainty feet collided with a stack of ambrosia bottles that fiercely clattered to the floor, but she didn't even seem to acknowledge them. "I'm sure Katie's hiding away a twelve-inch strap-on somewhere in this apartment, and I would've been more than happy to oblige."

"Very funny," I yawned, finally biting the bullet and raising my dizzy head to look around at the sweltering, messy living room. It was almost unrecognisable. Even though my surroundings were spinning wildly and making me feel even queasier, things actually looked peaceful despite the sinful events that occurred last night. Various groups of Pokémon all slept in random piles next to each other, with Wren and Eloise snoozing adorably together in a small, makeshift pillow fort built by my side. It was incredibly heart-warming to see the two of them embracing each other so lovingly. Maxxie was not too far away from them. Reaching down to ruffle Hannah's short hair, I noticed that my hands were strangely sticky.

"Who said I was joking?" she asked while propping herself up, blinking awake in confusion as she brushed the sleep out of her eyes with a childish pout. Even like this, she had a natural beauty that made me feel like the luckiest man in the world. The way her messy, pink hair stuck out in all directions gave her a youthful innocence despite her age, not to mention the flawless complexion of her pale, tattooed skin. Blue eyes fell upon me as she smiled groggily.

"Last night was fun enough already," I grimaced, lazily flopping back down onto the carpet, the rest of my strength completely melting away as I curled up lovingly around my girlfriend. "It makes me feel a little better about this disgusting hangover and foggy memory at least."

"I was totally unresponsive and could barely remember my own name after I drank it for the first time, so you're going pretty good," she praised, stretching up to pat me on the head like I was a child who had just completed one of their chores. It was definitely comforting, but I wasn't about to admit to her that I liked getting my hair played with. "I have some ibuprofen in my purse if you want it – for the headache. Can't do anything about the memory, though."

"But then you'd have to get up…" I whined, peering over at her hot-pink handbag that had been discarded on the other side of the living room, near an unconscious Oleander. I wanted something to help with the crushing pressure in my head but having someone next to me that I could cuddle into was a much better cure than drugs could ever be. "Can we just stay like this for a little while longer?"

"Well, aren't you needy today?" She cooed in an overly-cutesy tone but did as I requested and snuggled her head into the nape of my neck. It was these sorts of moments that I wouldn't trade for anything else in the world, and even though my distinct lack of memory was particularly frightening, I couldn't help but smile from ear-to-ear as Hannah gave my shoulder a series of sloppy, affectionate smooches. "I'm just glad you're not some total edgelord who hates being cuddled."

"Arceus, you two are sickening," Julian gagged as he strolled out of the kitchen, closing the door carefully behind him as to not make too much noise. I could hear the sizzling of food in a saucepan, and the snarky psychic type held a greasy spatula in one of his hands. He was also unabashedly wearing a chef's apron with the words _'kiss the cook'_ written across the front in pink, cursive font. It was probably Katie's, but he didn't seem to mind. "Lying there naked as the day you were born while we all tirelessly slave away in the kitchen for you."

"Bite me, Jules!" Hannah hissed, throwing a large, semen-stained cushion vaguely in his direction. He recoiled and almost sliced the soiled fabric in half with one of his elbow-blades, but decided it was better to let the cushion collide with his toned body than risk Katie's immense wrath if he destroyed it. "Alex needs to nurse his killer hangover in peace."

"Call me that again and I'll stop your heart," the Gallade threatened morbidly. "I'm serious."

Hannah stuck out her dry tongue in foolish defiance as Julian only sighed and rolled his eyes. His unwavering focus turned to her purse lying across the destroyed living room. He pointed the black, greasy spatula towards the satchel like a magic wand. The miniature bag began to levitate precariously, the contents almost spilling out across the messy floor while Julian skilfully manoeuvred it closer with his psychic abilities. We both watched on in bewilderment as the purse hovered closer before dropping neatly on the mess of blankets, clothes and Pokémon we had passed out amongst. It was like a scene from Harry Potter.

"I'm making breakfast for you guys, so when you feel ready to move, put some fuckin' clothes on and come join Katie and Brandon," he stated, turning his back with another wave of the plastic spatula. He didn't look the type, but he could be oddly caring when the situation called for it. Even in my tired state, I could tell that he was blushing and had turned away to hide his embarrassment, wishing to keep up the appearance of a warrior rather than a maid. "Eggs and bacon will help the hangover more than tonguing each other ever will."

"Why thank you, my humble servant," Hannah joked, to which Julian replied with a respectful, royal flourish before returning to the kitchen. I caught the sight of a tired looking Brandon and Katie leaning against each other at the table before the door swung shut again. The two really did act like old friends, even though it had probably been only a few years since they had all first met each other. I had never seen such a comfortable group before.

"Let's give it ten minutes before we try to find our clothes?" I asked with a cheeky smile, even though I had already made up my mind. Breakfast was beginning to sound a lot more appealing now that the morning dizziness had been quelled somewhat, but even bacon and eggs cooked by a world-renowned chef couldn't tear me from the cosy mess on the floor.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Hannah purred, rolling on top of me clumsily as her chipped fingernails dug into my chest. Before I knew it, our hands were running through each other's hair and the sounds of our lips smacking together drowned out the crackling of the saucepan. The pills and food weren't going anywhere, so a little snuggle time wasn't hurting anyone.

* * *

After fooling around for a while, we excavated ourselves from the makeshift bedding and collected articles of our clothing that were randomly scattered around the room. Careful not to disturb any of the slumbering Pokémon, I stood on my tip-toes and faintly grasped at my wrinkled shirt that had somehow gotten stuck on the lampshade. Hannah was kneeling on all-fours, attempting to fish out a pair of jeans from under the couch, giving me quite the view. In my hungover state, I wondered how girls could stand wearing such tight, skimpy thongs. The thin fabric barely even covered up her unmentionables. Not that I was complaining…

Eventually, we completed our outfits and shuffled quietly into the bustling kitchen together. True to his word, Julian was whistling away at the stove while he poked at the bacon and eggs with the spatula. He was surprisingly jovial and animated when cooking, which was a far cry from his usual stiff and serious demeanour. With a flick of his green finger, he levitated a salt-shaker over the frying pan and shook it vigorously until he was satisfied.

Katie and Brandon, on the other hand, were slumped lifelessly over the kitchen table, too exhausted to even lift their dishevelled heads. The former's makeup was smudged, making her look like the Joker, and one strap of her revealing dress was hanging loosely off of her shoulder as she fidgeted with the cutlery absentmindedly. The latter was still shirtless, clutching a Pikachu plushie tightly against his hairy chest, his face deathly pale as he didn't even stir at our presence. It seemed as if the two had also overindulged in the Blissey egg concoction even though they had harped on about only taking a couple sips. I couldn't help but smile smugly and chuckle, because at least I wasn't alone in feeling like total garbage.

"I'm so thankful that the ambrosia barely has an after-effect on us Pokémon!" Julian laughed, taunting his trainer as he dangerously swirled the food around in the saucepan, nearly sending boiling oil cascading onto the tiled floor. He was positively glowing under the fluorescent light of the kitchen, while the rest of us looked like we hadn't slept for weeks. "We could drink bottle after bottle and still be bright and happy the next morning."

"I'm getting closer to releasing you into the wild with every passing day," Katie groaned, too hungover to smile sweetly at her boyfriend's antics. It was obvious that she didn't really mean it, but her scathing tone told me that she wouldn't easily forgive him if he kept up with the incessant mocking. "You do this every time and it hasn't once ever been _remotely_ funny."

"At least he's making us breakfast," Brandon finally stirred, pulling out two chairs with ease for the both of to sit on. His grey, baggy sweatpants had been put on backwards, but he either didn't notice or care in the slightest. He gave us a laboured yawn in place of his usual warm greeting before slumping back over the rickety table with a weak sniffle, hugging his plushie.

"Yeah, only 'cuz I forced him to," Katie replied, joining the muscled ranch worker as she pressed her face against the cold surface of the table. Even though they had the willpower to wake up earlier than us, it seemed like they wanted to go back to the living room and sleep just as badly. I assumed that they had been through this process so many times that they knew how to endure it. "He usually only makes food for himself while we're still unconscious."

"That's a strange way of saying thank you," Julian teased amidst a flurry of bacon strips levitating above his armoured head, enveloped in a mystical, purple aura. He carried a precarious stack of white plates over to the table like a practiced waiter and served up the steaming food in a flash with his psychic powers. The bacon and eggs smelled delectable, Brandon and Katie actually perking up at the comforting scent associated with lazy mornings. "Now hurry up and eat before it gets cold. It pains me to see my good friends in such a state."

"Bullshit," Hannah mumbled through a big mouthful of bacon. "You love to see us suffer."

"Man, it's been years since I've had a proper, homecooked breakfast…" I sighed dreamily, picking at the fluffy scrambled eggs with a shaky fork. Childhood memories started to flood back in droves as I stared longingly at the steaming food. "Forgot how much I missed bacon."

"Years?" Katie parroted, her fingers interlocking with Julian's in gratitude as the psychic-type took the final seat at the crowded table, chucking his dirtied apron into the overflowing sink with a flick of his free wrist. "Thomas told us earlier that you still live with your folks at home, but are they not around much? If you don't mind me asking, of course. Just curious!"

"Well, my mum's been working overseas in Unova since I was about twelve," I replied over the sharp scraping of cutlery, finding it an appropriate time to tell the welcoming group some more details about my dull personal life. We were becoming fast friends, but they still knew next to nothing about me. "She manages some hipster tech business in Castelia City and divorced my hopeless dad when I was still just a toddler. Lawrence, my older brother, has been taking care of me for most of my life. Even back when we were both just little kids."

"Sounds pretty tough," Brandon consoled quietly in a deep, understanding murmur. Placing the Pikachu plushie gingerly next to his untouched plate, he affixed its raggedy ears until they were in the proper position. He seemed to handle the children's toy with a great amount of love and care, almost as if it were alive. "What kind of work does your brother do, then?"

"He just works a shitty retail job at Lilycove Department Store," I laughed, watching the sympathetic winces spreading across the kitchen table. "He hates it, but it pays the bills."

"I've heard the hours there are hellish," Hannah groaned, already having devoured most of her food in the matter of a few seconds while we were talking. I stared at her near-empty plate in disbelief as she showered the rest of her eggs in salt. "But hey, at least you don't really have to worry about him barging into your room while you're banging Eloise or Wren. How does Lawrence feel about you suddenly becoming a trainer? Must've been a shock."

"Uh… well, he doesn't really know about it yet…" I admitted guiltily, hiding my red face in the plate of greasy food so I wouldn't have to look at their disapproving expressions. "Even though we live together, we don't talk often. Mostly, he just drinks alone in his bedroom."

"That's definitely a juicy accident waiting to happen," Julian grinned, not even attempting to hide his excitement. He waved a messy fork tipped with crispy bacon and ketchup in my direction like a judge's gavel. I gulped audibly. "Better break the news sooner than later."

"Obviously, make sure to leave all the poképhilia stuff out of the explanation as well, unless you're positive that he won't try to report you for abuse," Hannah recommended seriously. She could actually be quite intimidating when she had a strong opinion about something. "Attraction towards Pokémon tends to run in families, but you can never be sure nowadays."

"Really, it does?" I reeled in disgust, almost dropping my own fork. It wasn't exactly an image that I wanted inside my head the morning after an intense, alcohol-fuelled orgy.

"It's more common than you'd first think anyway," Brandon interjected with a bashful smile and a glint of reminiscence in his wide, light-brown eyes. "Funnily enough, I was introduced to poképhilia when I walked in on my dad and his Luxio in the middle of the night. I'm still trying to repress the conversation that followed all these years later. It keeps me up at night."

"To be honest, I think Lawrence finds Pokémon to be more of a nuisance than anything else, just like my mum. He complains about trainers who bring their team members in the store all the time, and I guarantee that he won't approve of me becoming one," I responded spitefully, dreading the intense conversation that would inevitably happen between us. Even though we were brothers, we rarely agreed with each other. "So, that's why I've been putting it off."

"Alex, you're a big boy now, so you don't really need to give a shit about what he thinks," Julian encouraged with a chiding tone, though it was clear he could sense my apprehension. Reassurance was apparently not the Gallade's strong suit. "Tell you what, if worst comes to worst and Lawrence blows a gasket, we'll all come to back you up. Isn't that right, gang?"

"Damn right we will!" Hannah promised loudly, secretively playing footsie with me under the kitchen table. The feeling of her soft socks caressing my bare skin made my mind wander. She definitely knew how to poke at my weaknesses. "Five against one sounds fair to me."

"You say that like we're gonna beat him up or something," Brandon chuckled passively, some colour returning to his pallid face as he finally started eating with vigour. "I'm sure that Lawrence will accept your choice once he sees all of the wonderful friends you've made."

"Yeah, that's true," I conceded after taking a faint sip of cold water, my throat still parched from the crazy night before. "He's never been the type of person that tries to control my life."

"Good, there's no reason to worry then!" Katie smiled inspiringly, placing her knife and fork neatly onto her plate that had been scraped clean. She brushed a strand of strawberry-blonde hair out of her blue eyes and gazed over at me. I couldn't help but feel at peace amidst her comforting positivity, as if being part of this supportive friend group made me indestructible. "Now, I don't wanna see a single scrap of food left on that plate of yours, Alex. You need to grow up nice and strong like Brandon if you're gonna keep working at the ranch!"

"Are you trying to fill the role of my absent mum?" I sighed dramatically, reminding myself that I was still the youngest and least experienced out of the workers. Everyone else had to be in their mid-twenties, but then there I was, still lacking confidence and struggling to grow any facial hair. No matter how much I wanted to ignore the age difference, it was inescapable.

"Oh please, I like my men to be slim and cute," Hannah grinned, producing a lollipop from the breast-pocket of her pink shirt. She unwrapped it in a flash and placed it onto her tongue. "No offense, Brandon. Muscles aren't my thing, and you're absolutely bursting with them."

"None taken," the gentle giant responded with a respectful smile, pushing his empty plate towards an upright Julian who began to clean up the messy table. It might have just been my tired, hungover mind playing tricks on me, but I could've sworn that the muscled ranch worker snuck a lustful glance in my direction. "In fact, I would tend to agree with you…"

"Right, enough chit-chat!" Katie called, rising up to join Julian at the overflowing sink, no doubt sensing the strange, erotic atmosphere that suddenly crept into the room. Brandon's tanned complexion darkened as he placed a large hand against his mouth, hiding his flustered arousal, despite the fact he was already shirtless. His hesitant temperament belied his stature. "This might be our day off, but that doesn't mean we can sit around on our asses 'till sunset!"

"There's her iconic enthusiasm…" Hannah huffed, crunching down on the hardened candy as her fingers ran across my bouncing thigh. "C'mon soldier, let's retreat into the living room."

Rudely leaving Katie and Julian to take care of the dirty dishes, we emerged back out into the destroyed living room with full bellies and contented smiles. The Gallade's impressive cooking was already working wonders for my hangover and general mood. Inevitably, the irresistible scent of seared meat had roused some of the more sensitive Pokémon from their shaky slumber. Brandon scratched at his Blitzle's striped neck with affection, who then began to illuminate and spark excitedly. His powerful hooves pounded against the linoleum floor as he bucked his hindquarters like a racehorse, causing everyone else to whine and writhe. Britney unleashed a slew of creative swears in her iconic, shrill tone and clutched at her delicate ears, pulling them over her displeasured face as she attempted to drown out the noise.

"I'm flattered that you're happy to see me Dom, but try to calm down a little, okay?" Brandon soothed in his idyllic, cheerful tone, still blushing at the Lopunny's embittered words that would have put a Slateport sailor to shame. "We've already received two noise complaints this month, and I really don't want you to be the reason for our third strike!"

"I can't help it – I feel like I'm overflowing with energy!" Dominic replied enthusiastically, his throaty voice far deeper and more confident than I had first expected. He came across as shy and skittish but was managing to rival Brandon's positivity. I wondered if the personality of the trainer rubbed off on their Pokémon over time. "I think I'm really close to evolving!"

"Evolving?" I blurted out, unable to contain my piqued curiosity. I had always dreamed of seeing an evolution up close, instead of on a screen or in a book. Apparently, it was wondrous to watch, often reducing trainers to overjoyed tears. "Are you sure? How can you even tell?"

"It's never really been described officially, but most Pokémon get a strange, fuzzy feeling when they're close to evolving," Hannah informed, flopping leisurely onto the couch beside Britney and cuddling into her soft, velvety coat. The sultry bunny stopped her swearing and complaining soon after, accepting her partner with warmth. "Do you remember yours, Brit?"

"Well, like… yeah, only 'cuz you cried like a baby after it happened," Britney replied with a giggle, gently kneading her fluffy paws across her closed eyes like Hannah had done earlier. It was a cute habit that they both shared. "For me, there was like, this tickly feeling in my head for like, a week before I eventually evolved. Dom's like, going through the same thing."

"I thought that most evolutions needed to be triggered by something specific, like through battling or by using a stone," I pondered, envisioning my old, boring high-school textbooks. Usually, I viewed myself as an expert on such things, but that was evidently not the case now. "Honestly, Brandon doesn't seem like the battling type, so what's causing such a change?"

"Experience!" Brandon simply beamed, as if his bright smile alone was a satisfactory answer. "All that most Pokémon require in order to evolve are positive experiences in certain aspects of daily life. Combat training happens to be the most common and effective method nowadays, but there's plenty of other unique styles! Any rigorous, physical activity works just as well!"

"You probably won't believe this, but Katie once told me that Julian first evolved into a Kirlia by learning how to cook properly," Hannah smirked, gesturing into the silent kitchen. "Once he became a good chef, it wasn't long before he evolved while making a nice soufflé."

"Yup, and next thing you'll tell me is that constant sex can make a Pokémon evolve as well," I murmured quietly in disbelief, rolling my deep, muddy-brown eyes like a sarcastic jackass.

"If experience is the only requirement for their evolution then yeah, sure!" Brandon replied, completely serious, although the sides of his thin lips were raised in his ever-present smile. "That's how I've decided to train Dom, so he's living proof that sex is as good as battling!"

"You've gotta be fucking with me, right?" I asked, ignoring the responses as my attention focused solely upon a tiny Eloise who was still sleeping calmly atop a white cushion. Her cloudy wings were no longer wrapped around Wren, instead left covering her sensitive ears. If things continued as they were, then she would eventually evolve into a massive Altaria.

"Wish we were," Hannah winked cheekily. "It's common for professional battlers to be poképhiles too, since a night spent with a Pokémon does basically the same as a few battles."

"Possible family members, battlers…" I listed with a groan. "What's next? Gym Leaders?"

"Oh, my dear, sheltered Alex," Hannah laughed heartily. "You still have so much to learn."

"Dom, be sure to tell me if that feeling gets stronger!" Brandon reminded, patting the electric zebra firmly on the haunches and bopping him on the nose. "Gotta catch the evo' on video!"

"Roger that," Dominic whinnied. "Indra told me to expect it within the next week too!"

"Won't be long 'till we have a big, sexy stallion in our ranks," Hannah grinned suggestively. "Not gonna lie Dom, I've been waiting for your evolution ever since I first laid eyes on you. Everybody knows that Zebstrikas are packin' some major heat down there. Enough to kill!"

"Aww c'mon… your unreasonable excitement scared him off," Brandon sighed, watching dejectedly as Dominic trotted over to join the unconscious Emolga tucked away in the corner, who had somehow managed to sleep through the whole noisy ordeal. He was probably exhausted from the ravishing Brandon had given him last night. The two electric types looked to be inseparable, almost like brothers. "You can barely handle him like he is now anyway."

"Excuse me, I've improved a lot ever since Chief evolved!" Hannah huffed, taking extreme offense to the off-handed comment. Her immaculate, round face turned a heavy crimson and she crossed her tattooed, slender arms defiantly over her chest. "Just you wait, four eyes!"

"I didn't know you were such a size queen," I smirked smarmily, leaning precariously against the peeling armrest of the leather couch. With all the Pokémon, the place was really cramped. "Feeling outclassed all of a sudden. Stuff like that really hurts a man's pride, y'know."

"Listen, just be glad I'm flexible and easy to please," Hannah snapped back, stunning me into awkward silence. Despite seeming totally carefree when we first met at the ranch's lodge, she seemed prone to short flashes of anger, likely due to the great amount of stress she endured. Sensing my anxiety, she let out a long exhale and let the smirk return to her full, red lips. "Okay, hurry up and get your cute butt over here. If we all pretend that we fell back asleep then we won't have to tidy up this fucking mess. It usually fools Julian about half the time."

"Now you're speaking my language," I crooned, slipping into the tight, warm space on the couch between two beautiful girls and feeling my relationship worries melt away like butter. Laying off the jokes for just now was probably a good idea. Hannah was tough. It'd be okay.

And to be honest, I just wanted to shut up and get sandwiched between a pair of curves.

* * *

By the time that the apartment had been cleansed of tell-tale, crusty stains and empty bottles, the blazing sun had leisurely trailed its way across a majority of the sky and was basking the immaculate room in a soft, golden glow. Who knew that tidying an entire living space while caring for like fifteen Pokémon all at once took more than a couple hours? Once Julian had easily discovered that we were faking our slumber, he forced us to scrub the jizz-laden floor. It wasn't exactly my ideal way of spending a lazy Saturday afternoon, but the company made it more than bearable. Time flew by as we chatted and laughed until our throats were hoarse. The whole event made me forget that we were technically still guests in a home, and we had definitely overstayed our welcome. Katie and Julian had lives. We couldn't hang out forever.

Hannah eventually had to drag me all the way down the stairs of the apartment block, as I could barely move my stiff legs. A combination of wanton thrusting and kneeling down had completely fucked the delicate muscles. With Eloise and Wren safely in tow, we embarked on the short adventure back to the lodge, carrying our generous parting gifts. While on our way out of the heavy door, Brandon had tossed a couple bottles of ice-cold ambrosia at us with an eager smile. The heavenly fluid was definitely a useful substance to keep around. There had to be a hundred laws prohibiting the clear possession of alcohol in broad daylight, especially bootleg ambrosia from some shady farm in rural Sinnoh, but we didn't care at all. Hannah even started loudly chanting "fuck the police" as we made our way across Route 121. Eloise began to echo the simple words with joyous vigour, much to my great embarrassment.

The crude chorus continued all the way up the ranch's winding pathways and rolling hills. Obviously, we caught quite the number of surprised stares from the breeding Pokémon that we passed, including a particularly indignant Snivy who haughtily stuck her snout in the air. She looked like royalty, glaring at a group of peasants who had disturbed her beauty sleep. Such a refined aura reminded me of Evienne, despite their obvious physical differences. Wren sighed and covered his grimacing face with icy claws, no doubt hating the attention. Suddenly, Hannah started to falter behind the little group, face scrunched adorably in an intense concentration as she pondered something important. We had just been holding hands, but I soon lost tentative grip on her smooth, limp fingers and they floated away gently.

"Feel free to take the squad to the lodge and let yourself in, soldier," she announced while tossing a jingling set of scuffed keys vaguely in my direction. "I know it's supposed to be my day off work, but I should swing by the incubation shed just in case something happened."

"No worries," I replied casually, replacing Hannah's warm hand with Wren's freezing one as I watched her slowly descend down the steep, grassy slope towards the ramshackle building. "Who knows, it might give me enough time to get naked before you come back…"

"Sorry, it'll be showers first!" she called with a laugh, barely audible over the animalistic din of the active ranch. "Not horny enough yet to enjoy tasting day-old Maxxie on your cock."

"Fair enough," I admitted with an impish grin, watching as the spiked quiff of her pink hair faded entirely from my view. Some of the ranch denizens followed behind at a wary distance, since it was getting close to feeding time. If Hannah was unlucky, she'd be ambushed at the shed by a stealthy Lucario and a particularly greedy-looking Flareon. Although, something told me that she wouldn't exactly mind being propositioned by the two boys. Just a hunch.

"Bye-bye, Hannah!" Eloise chirped atop my head, battering my ears with her cottony wings.

"At least that licentious tune has ceased," Wren commented, undertones of restrained venom seeping through his complex words. The Sneasel probably wouldn't ever lose his precise bite.

"Buddy, even I don't know what the hell that word means – and I got an A in English class," I smirked while tussling his dull head feather. Thankfully, the poison in his tone had been neutralised as he chuckled with me, eyes closed. "Where'd you even learn stuff like that?"

"Another story for another time, perhaps," he responded with a forlorn, solemn smile. Through time, I had learned that expression meant that I shouldn't push until he was ready. "For the record, the word licentious refers to ill-mannered and unprincipled actions when concerning vulgar matters, not unlike that display of contempt towards law enforcement."

"Huh, you really do learn something new every day," I mused, kicking my muddy boots against the steps leading to the lodge's entrance. Hannah would probably castrate me if I tracked even a single speck of dirt on the rugs. "You're like my own little talking dictionary."

"A role that I am eternally grateful to play," Wren bowed, his eyes twinkling with admiration.

When the three of us finally reached the lodge's wooden door, I quickly discovered that it had somehow been left unlocked, judging by the slackened brass handle. I clicked my tongue in bewilderment as I shoved the keys back into my pocket. Hannah had definitely locked the door behind her when we left yesterday, and the only other person who could've possibly opened it was Thomas. He usually stayed around the reception building, but had he come to inspect the lodge and just forgotten to lock the front door afterwards? That was pretty risky, considering that one of the ranch Pokémon could just sneak in and ransack the kitchen fridge. Thomas doesn't exactly seem like the careless type, either. Unease settled in my gut as I wrenched the handle down and warily pushed the door open. Maybe I was just being too cautious for no reason. Luckily, Eloise and Wren hadn't figured out that I was really nervous.

The fluorescent lights were bright and shining in the empty room. A kitschy mug filled with cold coffee had been discarded on the oaken table, with only a few small sips taken out of it. If the ranch had somehow been invaded by an opportunistic burglar, he didn't stay for long. Nothing of value had been taken or moved. Brandon's sturdy watch lay on the mantlepiece. Any slim chance that I had of remaining undetected was suddenly shattered as Eloise flew around the familiar room and began squawking excitedly. I would've normally been ecstatic to see that she was able to stay airborne for such a long time, but I was plagued with the irrational worry that the potential serial killer knew our location. The small Swablu settled happily on one of the dusty rafters near the ceiling, preening her cloudy feathers pridefully.

Then I remembered, the lodge was soundproof. Nobody would be able to hear her anyway. But, that also meant I wouldn't be able to hear someone sneaking up on me. Oh, fuck…

"Wow, she's flying already!" a confident, male voice boomed from close behind my head, causing me to let out a frightened yelp. I whirled around so swiftly that the badly-decorated living room began to wildly spin like my hangover had just returned with a fierce vengeance.

Slick, black hair. Green eyes. Immaculate trousers. Polished, designer shoes. Shit-eating grin.

"Thomas, for the holy Arceus' sake…" I gasped weakly, heart thundering against my ribcage. It was so distracting that I barely noticed he was shirtless. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist…" he snickered mischievously, holding up both of his callused hands inoffensively as he backed away from me. "Crazy, isn't it? Someone could be getting murdered in the next room over and you'd have absolutely no clue. Cost me a small fortune."

"It certainly makes it easier to be discreet about the whole poképhilia thing," I breathed, clutching at my palpitating chest and leaning on the nearby armchair for sweet support. "More importantly, what's with the bare chest? Your fancy suits starting to get too stuffy?"

"Hardly," he boasted, rolling his verdant eyes. "I pay extra for long-lasting comfort."

"So, what?" I prodded, starting to notice that my boss was covered in a damp sheen of sweat. Beads of perspiration clung to his big, defined pectorals and hair was matted to his forehead. The ankles of his suit trousers had been tucked into his shoes, like he had dressed in a hurry.

"Well, let's just say that this wonderful lodge is the only place with warm beds for miles," alluded the suave tycoon with a secretive grin. Even a man of his venerable status was still weak to the carnal desires that clung to his lesser employees. "Ophelia has been getting far more adventurous in the bedroom, so I decided to indulge her before getting back to work."

"Ophelia?" I repeated, confused at the fancy name. "Must be one of your Pokémon, right?"

"Right on the money," Thomas revealed. "In fact, she's creeping up behind you right now."

Thinking that the self-assured businessman was making another joke at my expense, I turned around with less urgency, expecting only to find Eloise, Wren and some empty couches. Instead, a white figure slowly materialised into my shocked view and the room suddenly grew much colder. My Sneasel's sensitive ears twitched in alarm, but it was obvious he was not the one responsible for this deathly, arctic chill. The unknown Pokémon was still cloaked in a misty haze, but I could discern the faint outline of a traditional, flowing dress. I blinked in disbelief, my short eyelashes almost freezing together before I could open my eyes again.

There floated a tall, feminine Pokémon, as if she had been there for the whole conversation. Her ghostly, purple visage was partially concealed by a snowy-white layer of fragile skin, obscuring her bewildering eyes of pure amber and periwinkle. Her delicate body mimicked an elaborate kimono, tied at the waist with a tattered, blood-red ribbon. Glittering crystals of pure ice adorned the robe of the levitating Pokémon, which slowly began to melt and send droplets of fresh water onto the lodge's rug as she lifted an embroidered hand to her chin. Wren looked totally enthralled by the frigid ghost. Eloise didn't even really seem to notice.

"To die, to sleep – to sleep, perchance to dream – ay, there's the rub, for in this sleep of death what dreams may come…" the Froslass sang cryptically, every word sending a horrible shiver trickling down my spine. Her mysterious voice was as haunting as it was entirely beautiful, echoing through my head in a similar manner to Julian's telepathic communication. "When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause…"

"Unbelievable…" Wren whispered, so quiet that I couldn't be sure anything was said at all. "What a captivating verse!"

"Maybe cool it on the creepy Shakespeare quotes for people that we've just met, Effie?" Thomas asked, immediately dissipating the macabre tension that had engulfed the huge room. Evidently, he hadn't heard Wren's exasperated compliment. "Your vast knowledge and memory always impress me to no end, but Alex here looks ready to have a heart-attack."

"Apologies," Ophelia chuckled elegantly, slightly more lilt present in her otherworldly voice. She grasped gently at the torn edges of her dress and performed a modest, respectful curtsy. The icy vapour that had once surrounded the spirit had disappeared in a flash, and a comforting warmth soon returned to the quiet lodge. "I simply couldn't resist showing off."

"It's alright," I sighed in relief, exhausted from all of the surprises in the past few minutes. Ophelia became a lot less intimidating when she wasn't surrounded by a sub-zero mist, and actually looked quite adorable once corporeal. I had always been fascinated by ghost types. Now that my sexual urges had been awakened, I was even more interested in seducing one. "I'd probably do the same thing if I could phase through walls and turn invisible as well."

"Possibilities are endless once you let go of mortality's strong hand," Ophelia nodded, levitating weightlessly towards her dear trainer and caressing his broad, hairless shoulders. Thomas gritted his perfect teeth and tensed his toned muscles at the maiden's deathly touch. Clearly, the two were very comfortable in each other's presence, despite all the shivering.

"More importantly, I'm actually glad you caught me alone like this," Thomas began, reaching into one of the shallow pockets of his expensive trousers. Ophelia sensed the conversation turning more professional, and faded silently back into the aether with another graceful bow. "I've been meaning to give you this for a while now, but it took hours of searching inside boxes in my dusty attic before I found it again. Here, something else to help with your work."

"Uh, thank you… but, what is it?" I faltered, staring in confusion at the shiny black rectangle that had been shoved into my ungrateful hands. The object was completely featureless, no screens or buttons in sight. The only things I noticed were the faint scratches and dried stains.

"It's my old, treasured Pokédex from a few years ago," Thomas explained, sauntering over with a nostalgic grin to join me in staring at the strange device. Distracted by his chiselled, bare chest, I failed to notice that he had already flipped open the front cover and was fiddling with the screen covered in oily fingerprints. "I scanned the shit out of everything back in my battling days, so the mountains of data in there should make your job a whole lot easier."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm really grateful that you thought of me, but are you sure that you don't wanna keep it for, like… sentimental value?" I spluttered, thinking of any excuse that would convince him to keep the device. Pokédexes were luxuries that few trainers could afford, especially ones that had already been filled out. "What if you need it again one day?"

"Oh, that won't be a problem!" Thomas reassured, patting me roughly on the back with his spare hand as the other scrolled through pages of text. "I finally purchased the newest model and got a friend to copy all of the data over, so this one is all yours now! It's missing some features that the newer ones have like voice recognition, but who needs all that shit anyway?"

"Nothing that I could possibly say would convince you to end up keeping it, right?" I sighed, attempting to conceal my rising excitement as he continued to search through the database of Pokémon information. His extensive Pokédex was missing a few important entries such as endangered species and Alolan forms, but it was still an impressive amount for just a battler.

"You know me too well," he grinned, switching the device to standby and closing the cover. He began to head for the door that lead into the spare bedrooms, as if to seal the deal once and for all, but as his shoes clicked away on the hardwood flooring, I turned the older Dex over in my hands and noticed a tarnished sticker adhered to the back of it. Like a name tag.

"Who's Athena?" I bluntly asked, causing my hasty boss' noisy shoes to stop with a squeal. The sticker bore the name of the Greek goddess, associated with wisdom, skill and courage.

"That's just what Hannah started to call it," he replied quietly, suddenly losing the cocky tone to his voice. He peered over his shoulder at me with honest eyes, although his scowl told me it was with reluctance. "It's a common tradition for trainers to name each other's Pokédexes."

"What is Hannah to you?" I questioned sharply, unable to stop myself before it was too late. The simple, loaded question had been silently brewing in my head for more than a few days. Even a socially-awkward fool like myself could figure it out. "More than a battling partner?"

"She was my soulmate… once," he responded with dull, morose honesty. He gave me a final, hollow stare before surrendering into the hallway, bottled heartache evident in his unsteady stride. "Nothing more than a colleague now. Like she wanted."

"How long had you two been dating?" I asked once more, even though there was no one to direct the question towards. I saw Thomas' shadow pause in the glowing light of the hallway.

"You can ask her that yourself… since you've gotten so close," responded the bitter shadow. I felt a cold, unnatural chill wash over my prickly skin, even though Ophelia had long since disappeared and Wren was resting on the couch. "Opening old wounds is not to my benefit."

"Just what the hell happened between you two!?" I shouted, unease tearing at my very being. I wanted to shatter the Pokédex against the wall, just to catch Thomas' attention and force him to answer every one of my questions. Something awful had definitely happened here.

"You've grown brave," was the last thing it said. "It'll be useful here. And with her."


	14. Fire Walk With Me

**Author's Note:**

Since summer break is finally here now, I managed to finish this juicy chapter after pulling a couple of motivated all-nighters! It contains my most ambitious, dirty sex scene that I've ever written, so I hope you have as much fun reading through it as I did writing it. Along with that, there's also a lot of interaction between the lovely Hannah and Alex, which highlights an important moment in their relationship. Basically, this chapter is crammed with meaning. However, the next chapter will be a little bit more relaxed and feature some fan requests. Now, I know that saying this will definitely curse me, but I'm gonna try to get a new chapter out every month until September, so that's 3 more before I have to go back to university! Something unexpected might happen in the future, but that's my crazy plan for right now.

Another quick note before we get started – I decided to make a naughty Twitter account for everything related to Lilycove! If you're interested about my stupid thoughts on writing smutty fanfiction or behind-the-scenes information about new chapters, ideas and characters, give me a follow over there! My witty handle is sugarsteponme, and I won't be following anyone else other than the wonderful people who follow me first, so I won't clog up your timeline with meaningless retweets and the like. Feel free to send me any messages as well! Now that this chapter has been made public, I'll start being a lot more active over there.

Alright, I'll stop blabbering and just tell you to enjoy 'Fire Walk With Me'! It's one of my favourites so far. :)

* * *

Burning. Encompassing. Suffocating.

The constant, boiling water cascading down from the shower's huge, rectangular nozzle had almost smothered me in a blanket of warm steam. Each scorching droplet that pierced the raw, red flesh on my back made me writhe, but I didn't dare move from under the harsh, whistling waterfall. It wasn't just the blistering temperature of the water that was killing me. It was who I happened to be sharing the excruciating shower with. Barely registering the hot twinges of pain, I focused my wandering attention onto the dirty whirlpool that was swirling above the drain. Strands of artificial, pink hair clung desperately to the dark, grimy grate and were soon drowned in a flow of bubbling conditioner that smelled strongly of strawberries. Melodious humming tickled at my flushed ears, although the tune was anything but soothing.

"Water's not too hot for you, my love?" Hannah asked sweetly, her shapely backside facing me as she rubbed gentle, foaming hands through her short hair. The largest tattoo on her body was a strange, ornamental javelin which traced the length of her curved spine. A Greek spear. Tipped with a golden blade and wrapped in intricate, black designs, it was a pure work of art. "You've turned more crimson than a Crawdaunt that lost its shell. I can make it cold again."

"No, no, everything's fine!" I lied unconvincingly, watching as her blue eyes narrowed in the reflection of the shower tiles. She had either gotten shampoo in them, or had figured me out. "This is just my first time showering with someone, so I'm feeling a little self-conscious…"

"Must be true, 'cuz you haven't moved a muscle for five minutes," Hannah smiled sensually. The way her curves rippled along with her echoing voice would have been pretty erotic if I wasn't currently having a breakdown. "Let me rinse my hair out, then I'll give you a hand."

How had things ended up like this? When Hannah finally returned from the incubation shed, Thomas had already bolted out of the back entrance the moment that he heard her humming, still shoving an arm through his expensive suit-jacket as he dashed across the vast garden. Throwing away my pride, I frantically whispered for him to stay behind and help me explain the situation, but he was already gone. Left with nobody else to hide behind, I panicked like an idiot and stuffed the expensive Pokédex into the overflowing pocket of my jeans, pretending that Thomas had never been there in the first place. What else was I supposed to fucking do? My lovely boss had just dropped the massive bloody bombshell on me that he had once considered my new girlfriend to be his soulmate, and now secretly resented her after she broke up with him. I wasn't exactly in the best state of mind. Failing to notice my nerves, Hannah suggested that we take a romantic shower together to save some time. Wonderful.

I didn't know what to think about this crazy job and the relationships that I had made with its eccentric employees anymore. Some dramatic event happened in the ranch's past which created a hurtful rift between the two familiar trainers, enough for Hannah to leave Thomas, but not enough for her to abandon her stressful role as egg matriarch. She may have just been too invested in the overall business and its many Pokémon, since she had witnessed its very inception and creation from nothing at all. Thomas had been her close, childhood companion. They had been linked together long before the breeding ranch was a dream in Thomas' mind. In fact, Hannah must have left her parents and old life behind in Sinnoh to come work here. She had been living at the ranch for all this time. She didn't have anywhere else to go now. Not to mention, in my first couple days of working here, the two seemed to get along fine! Aside from the awkwardness Hannah showed about her past in battling, she still interacted with Thomas using friendliness and respect. She even convinced him to let me keep Wren.

"Which one do you prefer – strawberry or mint?" Hannah questioned randomly, snapping me from the dangerous cycle of negative thoughts. I blinked a few times in dazed befuddlement. She had kneeled down against the rim of the shower and was gesturing towards two bottles.

"Uh… well, strawberry, I guess…" my lips responded absentmindedly, mind too entranced by the way that her toned, flexible back arched as she reached for the soapy, pink container. Without a doubt, she was deliberately shaking her ass right in front of my unworthy face. Even though I was incredibly concerned about her past with Thomas, my primal urges couldn't be suppressed for very long. I wondered if Hannah had noticed my hesitance and was trying to take my mind off things. I should really try to forget about it for the moment.

"Good choice," she smirked, wiggling her hips in approval as she flipped open the tall bottle. "I have no idea how Brandon can suffer through the minty one. I was forced to use it once when the girl's shampoo ran out and my scalp burned for days. Stripped my hair of its dye."

"… Do you always dye it pink?" I asked curiously, after violently shaking my soaking head to finally dispel the awful thoughts of drama between exes. Being such an anxious wreck when my girlfriend was naked and presenting herself for me would only make things worse. Hannah flashed me a sincere smile as I finally stopped sulking in the corner and took a composed breath of fresh air. She beckoned me closer with a pleased giggle as I stepped through the powerful jet of hot water. The myriad of personal questions could wait a while.

"Most of the time, yeah," she responded happily, pressing her soft, petite chest against my bare skin which sent a surge of instinctive excitement below my waist. A heavenly feeling. "Sometimes, my tattoo artist will recommend a new colour if he thinks it'll look good on me, but bubble-gum pink is the default choice. It was light blue at the start of this year, actually."

"Very cute," I replied quietly, shivering in ascended bliss as her masterful hands worked their way into the messy, tangled forest of hair atop my head that I called a style. Our warm bodies were incredibly close together, steamy lips almost touching, her wet inner thigh rubbing against my waist as she methodically played with each stray strand and intimately coated my scalp in the fruity shampoo. "I wouldn't mind seeing your natural colour. I love blondes."

"Someone's perceptive," she purred, a single hand tracing circles down my chest as she inched ever closer to my rising desire, the other continuing to slowly groom my still head. Now I understood why she was so inconveniently eager for us to shower together. Saving time was such an obvious, flimsy excuse. "Notice that the carpet didn't match the drapes?"

"When you were brushing your hair after the very first time I fucked you silly, to be precise," I breathed lustily, resting my quivering lips against hers after I had finished speaking, my teasing words eliciting a quiet moan. That was my cue to pull us under the warm spout of water, rinsing off the remaining shampoo and ensuring that the only way she wouldn't get a mouthful of soapy liquid was to kiss me. Sharing our breath soon made me lose composure.

Our free hands explored every wanting area of each other. Wet fingers glided against the skin of my thick shaft and pressed my cockhead against Hannah's scratchy mound, massaging her sensitive clit as she grinded upon my slippery body. I groped uncontrollably at her round, ample breasts, fingers running over and pinching at her hard nipples, causing her to shudder and whine into my mouth. Silencing her with my tongue, I did the same to her toned cheeks, roughly grabbing and squeezing a handful with either hand, parting them to tease at her hole with a spare finger. She jolted forwards in surprise, pushing her slick pussy lips along my twitching dick, the end of my length poking through her pillowy thighs, weakening my knees.

Seizing her chance, she gently tickled at my balls with deft fingers as she jammed her own tongue further towards my throat. Rocking her hips back and forth with considerable speed, she gave me an amazing thigh-job that I only thought was possible in my wildest fantasies. Deciding to outdo her, I stopped tracing an index finger around the forbidden ring and pushed the lubricated digit surprisingly easily inside of her ass. She had no doubt been training for Dominic's evolution. One finger soon turned into two, plunged deep in the depths of her rear, down to the knuckle. She bit down on my bottom lip as I rapidly fingerfucked her experienced anus, the curved palm of my hand slapping loudly against her jiggling cheeks. Taking it up the backdoor seemed to drive her mad with lust as she nearly pinned me against the glass partition of the shower, my own back now pressed against the much colder surface.

Sharp nails scratched fiercely at my shoulders as she tightened her legs around my member, embracing me in a fleshy vice of unadulterated pleasure. We stood relatively motionless under the steaming shower for what felt like hours without taking a single, needy breath. Hannah tensed her powerful leg muscles every few seconds to effortlessly stimulate us both. Every time she did so, her stretched butthole would clamp down onto my intruding fingers. Tongues battled against each other to see who could go the longest without breaking the kiss, both content to choke and die so long as we could stay connected. Her hands never stopped for a single moment, and when she wasn't handling my sensitive balls and shaft, she caressed my hair, face, neck, shoulders, chest, back, thighs, ass… absolutely anything she could touch. It was like she was obsessed with me. Entwined together like that, despite her past, despite my worries, despite reason, made me realise that I was being a dumbass for avoiding things. Even though she had just recently entered my life, I loved her so much that I was willing to forego breathing just so I could taste her for a little longer. So, I must be willing to talk too.

Slowly removing my fingers as to not hurt her, I finally ducked out of the Kalosian kiss with such a breath that you'd think I had swum up from the bottom of the ocean. As soon as my sore fingers unhooked themselves from the warm entrance, she let out an uncontrollable, pleasured groan and her blue eyes started to roll to the back of her head. Even while under the controlled stream of water from the shower, I felt a heavier splash of juices flow down my cock as she came from getting her asshole toyed with. I couldn't help but smirk dominantly. While the sensation from her vibrating thighs wasn't enough to bring me to my own climax, seeing her enjoy herself so much was almost nearly a better experience. Equally as satisfying.

"There's the expression I wanted to see on your handsome face," Hannah whispered tiredly, wrapping her dripping arms around my torso in a rare, vulnerable embrace. She was almost redder than I was, chest heaving as she took in huge gulps of misty air. "Works every time. Whenever a man clearly has something on his mind, play with his dick and he soon forgets."

"Hannah," I began, throat seizing like the very idea of speech was strangling me mercilessly. My voice emanated with confidence, perhaps for the first time since entering the hot shower. At the utterance of her name, she looked up. "I really love you. Don't ever think otherwise."

"Oh, Alex… I know you do," she whimpered emotionally, placing her small head against my chest as if to listen to my anxious, thundering heartbeat. Her muscular legs stopped gyrating and she let out a relieved sigh, muffled amidst the loud, therapeutic sound of trickling water.

"That's why I think we should both have a proper talk about the past," I admitted earnestly, hugging her closer to my chest like I was afraid the remaining water would wash her away. "After we finish our shower, of course. I'm not the type of guy to leave things incomplete."

"I was just thinking the same thing y'know," Hannah replied, making a bittersweet sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Confirming my suspicions, she brought a finger up to her glistening eyes and wiped away a tear, even though we were still under the nozzle. "You deserve an explanation. More than anybody here. I'm really sorry for being so vague."

"Honestly, it's alright," I consoled tenderly, swirling a sodden lock of her rosy hair around my finger as I closed my eyes, attempting to quell the waves of indescribable emotion that were threatening to overflow and also reduce me to tears. I wasn't going to cry in front of her. "I have something that I want to apologise for too. I want there to be no secrets between us."

"I've also never had a heartfelt moment with someone while straddling their rock-hard cock," she laughed, peering down and giving my throbbing, wet erection a gentle stroke to further emphasise the absurdity of the whole situation. I tried to supress a moan. "Feels kinda weird."

"At least there's never a dull moment when I'm around, right?" I grinned stupidly.

* * *

After a little more erotic, soapy action, I finally got a precious chance to breathe and cool off from the horrible anxiety as I lay wrapped in nothing but a fluffy towel, snuggled up to Wren who was stretched across the couch. His claws and lips would twitch every couple of minutes in response to whatever he was dreaming about. Whatever it was, he looked to be enjoying it. Although, he was clearly exhausted after having stayed the night in Katie's lusty apartment. Maybe I should've payed closer attention to him. I couldn't help but wonder if he had gotten up to anything while I had been preoccupied and he was too afraid to tell me. Probably not.

The impending sense of doom and dread I had felt earlier started to melt away along with the sugary marshmallow that was slowly dissolving into my mug of hot chocolate, which Hannah insisted was an instant cure for relationship stress. I took her word, as she definitely had more experience than me in these complicated matters. She was sitting cross-legged on the couch across from mine, blowing on the steaming rim of her own pink mug with a hushed whistle. With the fireplace crackling away and Eloise still nesting up in the dusty rafters, the lodge had a cosy and inviting atmosphere. I kind of wished everyone else was here to experience it.

"So, do you wanna go first?" Hannah asked, swiftly trading her sopping towel for a fluffy, luscious purple gown. Even while attempting to be serious, she couldn't hide a smirk as she deftly tied the robe's belt around her curvy waist. "Or maybe I should start telling my tale?"

"Might as well get all of my stupid shit out of the way," I replied quietly, trying to lure Eloise down from the old ceiling with the promise of a marshmallow piece soaked in the cocoa mix. I didn't really mind her nesting anywhere she liked, but her wings were going to get totally covered in dirt and cobwebs. I wanted her to cuddle into my lap, so I could feel her warmth.

"Alex… work with me here," Hannah disapproved sternly, finally waving my Swablu down to nestle in her soft dressing gown. My heart dropped at the betrayal. "Even if they might be a little stupid, your issues are no less meaningful than mine are. I'll listen with no judgement."

"Alright, fine," I conceded with a wavering sigh, shoving all of the concerns out of my head and attempting to psych myself up for divulging nothing but the truth. Confrontation had never been something I handled well, especially not with romantic partners. It was difficult. "It's just, well… it's dumb, but Thomas was here earlier, and he offered me his old Pokédex to help with my work, and I ended up asking what his deal was with you, and once he told me that you two had dated once, it made me totally freak out, and that's why I was being weird, and Arceus, it's dumb, but I really, really want to know what happened between you two…"

"Okay, okay, calm down and take a breath before you suffocate," she finally interjected, gently sliding a Pikachu coaster across the coffee table and setting down her oversized mug. Her beautiful blue eyes fell on me as she keenly absorbed my unfocused words, smirk soon fading from her face to be replaced with a sombre frown. Eloise could sense the sudden shift. "I guessed something like that happened. Expected it to happen earlier, actually. Fuck, why didn't you say anything before the shower? I wouldn't have forced you to take one with me."

"I tried to pretend nothing had happened 'cuz you might've been angry that I talked with him about your past. Listen, I just panicked, and didn't want to upset you, and now we're here," I simply pouted, frustration stinging at the back of my eyes as I pointed into the dark hallway like a frightened child. "Athena's still on the bathroom floor in the back-pocket of my jeans."

"Athena…" Hannah parroted in surprise, a quaint, nostalgic smile returning to her pale lips. Whatever that reaction was, it wasn't the one I was expecting. She relaxed back in her seat. "Jeez, it's been years since I heard that name. I dunno what the hell I was thinking honestly, it's such a cliché and uncreative thing to call a Pokédex. How's she doing? Still working?"

"Well, I haven't really had a chance to play around with her yet," I replied casually, before the realisation suddenly hit me like a runaway Magnet train. I stared at her in bewilderment. "Wait, you're not pissed off at me? Even though I was trying to keep everything a secret?"

"Of course not," she laughed, apparently getting quite the kick out of my confusion. Eloise chirped jovially alongside her, although she probably had no idea what all the fuss was about. "I would've done the same thing. Brandon and Katie were walking on eggshells for a while after Tom and I finally broke up too. I don't blame you for considering my feelings at all."

"So, is there really no bad blood between you two?"

"Now, that I didn't say," Hannah sighed, cycling through a whirlwind of both positive and negative emotions right in front of me. "A lot of the resentment is mostly on Tom's side. All my feelings for him vanished pretty quickly, but I don't think he ever really recovered from the breakup. That's his problem to deal with, not mine. He's a prideful man who made a lot of awful, nasty mistakes, so now he has to really learn how to cope with them. Without me."

"What… happened, exactly?" I asked hesitantly, feeling that sickly seed of horror plant itself deep inside my gut once again. It was an awful, cold sensation – like a sea of slimy Huntail slithering across my skin. "I understand if you don't want to recount all the details, but…"

"No, we're getting all of this out in the open tonight," she demanded, an abject, determined fire burning away behind her pupils despite her trembling fingers. She gripped at the mug once again to steady herself. "We'll be here for a while, so get comfy. It's quite a long story."

* * *

Tom always loves to say that he got the funds to build the ranch from his rich family, but that's not entirely true. A majority of the money he made before this business took off was prize money from battling tournaments that we entered and won together. Remember that brat who challenged me to a battle when you were getting your trainer's licence? He knew me from the double battles that I would compete in with Tom as my partner, as we had become pretty popular and respected over the years. We would enter small competitions only to completely destroy our opponents and take first place. At first, the rewards were small and barely enough to cover our living expenses. But, our notoriety would grow with every win, and we eventually got offers to travel all around the world and compete in real tournaments. We were already dating before all this, but I really started to love and respect him due to his desire and perseverance to collect enough money to build the ranch. Even though battling wasn't his direct passion, he still poured his blood, sweat and tears into training his team in order to make his dream come true. And eventually, it did. We collected enough money to start working seriously on the ranch, and I had never seen Tom so fulfilled and happy.

It didn't last long though. Something he didn't realise was breeding ranches cost a fucking fortune to maintain, even after the massive initial cost of the land and incubation machines. Katie and Brandon had to be paid for their work, but soon both our banks were almost empty. Keep in mind, we were still pretty young and stupid. I left Sinnoh with Tom when I was only eighteen, the same age as you are right now. Can you imagine that? Leaving your home, family and friends to stay in a shitty apartment with your new boyfriend because you wanted to help make his dream become a reality. My love for him kept me from questioning things, kept me from seeing things for how they really were, kept me away from reality before it was too late. Maybe if we weren't dating I could've seen what was starting to happen to Tom. He soon used up all the money we had collected over about three years of hardcore battling, and we found ourselves back on the flights around the globe to attend more doubles tournaments. The mood was different this time. It wasn't right. We knew just how much money we'd need. The pressure to win and keep the ranch afloat began to gnaw at us both and our Pokémon. Britney's hair started to fall out due to stress. Gulliver, Tom's Dragonite, became depressed.

I knew what was happening, but Tom didn't. I was too afraid to say that what we were doing wasn't healthy anymore, that we should find another way to make money before something really bad happened. See, sometimes we'd lose a battle or two and not qualify for the finals. For me, this meant a few more sleepless nights of training and encouragement until we found another competition that would accept us. For Tom, this meant more time that the new ranch wasn't developing and more money that was lost forever. While his intense desire to become a world-renowned breeder is his biggest advantage, it's also his most damaging weakness. His need for battling had been tainted, and it manifested in changes of his training technique. He'd overwork his team members. Even though Gulliver needed a break, he was Tom's ace. Gulliver was the reason we succeeded so often, so Tom would push him further and further until he reached a breaking point and refused to battle anymore. He actually snapped and charged a Dragon Pulse at his own trainer before Britney persuaded him to stop and relax. Honestly, the way Tom looked at his own starter without an ounce of fear as it could have easily reduced him to a pile of ash still haunts me. It was like he didn't care if Gulliver did it.

I forced Tom to take a break from tournaments since we had made enough money to survive a couple more months, but the ranch had to stay closed. Katie and Brandon even offered to work again for free, but he wouldn't let them. Things actually got better for a while, although I could never tell what he was thinking and that scared me. These experiences changed him. Sorry if you don't wanna hear this, but we'd often have sex like every day in the beginning, even while travelling, but at the end of all this… he wouldn't even touch me. Or his team. This sad existence continued on for a while as our money slowly dried up, but one day, Tom came to me with an egg in his hands and said that he had found a way to solve everything. There was a joyful glint in his eye that reminded me of the old days, and I thought that everything might turn out alright in the end. I was too blinded by love and his manipulative words to see that it would be the last time I would ever consider him to be a suitable partner.

Inside the egg was a rare, pedigree Fletchling with golden feathers. Tom had used the very last of our funds to purchase a new Pokémon that we would have to care for until it hatched. He bought it from some breeder he once heard about while we were staying in Kalos for a summer tournament. Jude was his name, and he specialised in 'perfect' Pokémon, ones selectively bred to become the best battling specimens they could be. That was perhaps the angriest I've ever been with another person. He had impulsively bought a Pokémon that he intended to use as a tool to win more battles and make more money, not to mention the fact he expected me to look after the egg for him. Although, this anger was soon replaced with an idiotic belief that maybe the Fletchling would really help us. If he actually was totally perfect, then we could finally stomp the remaining tournaments and make enough to get us past the ranch's first hurdle. So, like the submissive little girlfriend I was, I agreed to compete again.

Tom named him Icarus. Amazingly, he did hatch with shiny, golden feathers and was strong enough to fly long distances right after being born. The presence of a new, bright soul helped all of us, and it was even enough to bring Gulliver out of his depressive slump. I was afraid of Tom falling back into his old habits of pushing his team members way beyond their limits, but I was just happy to have some normalcy back in my life. Even though we had no money, we focused on raising Icarus properly until he was old enough to participate in tournaments. At least, I thought we were raising him properly. What I didn't know at the time, was that Tom was sneaking the Fletchling out at night and pushing him through a gruelling regime of battling wild Pokémon who were far stronger than him. I only found out he was doing all of this when he came bursting into our apartment in the middle of the night, clutching an unconscious Icarus in his bloody arms and sobbing inconsolably. Instantly, I knew what had happened and how much of a fucking idiot I was for not helping. One of his tiny wings had been shredded apart and was crooked in all the wrong places. I didn't need to be a doctor to understand that he would never be able to fly again, especially since he was still so young. The growth in that wing would be stunted forever. Tom had done something so entirely awful that I just couldn't stay with him. I didn't care about his reasons. After getting Icarus to an intensive-care centre, I told him that I never wanted to see him again and went to stay with Katie and Julian for a couple weeks. My phone almost exploded due to all of his phone calls.

Eventually, once Icarus was stable enough, Tom vowed never to compete in a tournament again and sought out therapy for his mental issues. I focused on helping my team recover. The ranch suddenly opened a few months after all of that happened and we got talking again. He wasn't the same… but he was better. Even after all he had done, I did still care about him, just not like I once had. I still believed in his dream, and after a lot of convincing from Katie, I took up the role of egg specialist and tried to forget about everything. Battling, most of all. To repent for his sins, he let me stay here free of charge now that money wasn't an issue.

How did he suddenly have this new money when we had been struggling for all those years? It's exactly like he told you on the first day you started working here! He begged his parents. Like he should have done from the very, very beginning. His pride as the embarrassed child of an insanely rich family and my hesitation caused us to hurt so many people and Pokémon. He told me that his success as a breeder would have been worthless if his family helped him. That's the worst part of it all. Everything could have been avoided if he wasn't so arrogant. Icarus serves as a reminder of his and my mistake. Don't worry, he's still alive and happy. He's just unable to fly for very long, and can never be as perfect as he was intended to be.

So yeah, that's why things are awkward between us. Because his 'dream' changed us both.

* * *

By the time Hannah finished her tense story, each of our mugs had long since been drained of curative hot chocolate. She had decided to crawl over to my couch instead and lay her head across my accepting lap, wrenching her eyes shut as she couldn't bear to look up at my face. Nevertheless, I silently played with soft strands of her strawberry-scented hair with one hand and caressed Wren's tattered head-feather with the other, never once interrupting or losing focus over her heavy words. Her bony cheeks were damp and sticky with burdened tears, which I would carefully wipe away whenever they trickled gently down from her closed eyes. Every so often, Eloise would croon and nibble lovingly at her hands in reassurance when she would tremble or fall silent for a while. Having to recount every dark, sordid detail about Thomas and her past seemed to physically and mentally exhaust her. Now I could see why she acted so strange whenever battling was brought up. It was hard to believe that she had endured so much heartbreak and was still strong enough to keep working and stay positive. Our lives couldn't compare. I was a sheltered kid and she was a woman tired of the world. Did she really have problems sleeping due to her work schedule, or was it something else? Was she wracked with thoughts about Thomas and her old life? About those she harmed?

"Hannah, I'm so, so sorry that all of this happened to you," was all I could say in the end.

"This is why I was so hesitant to tell you about myself," she finally admitted, her lovely voice now hoarse and deepened from an hour of speaking. When I looked down, her alluring eyes were open once again. Pools of lustrous cobalt, with foggy specks of something much darker waiting just beneath the surface, begging not to be stirred. "The baggage makes it too messy."

"We certainly are much different in that regard," I replied, bopping her on the tip of the nose. Maybe not the best idea, but I was trying to bring some levity to the situation and put a smile back on her face, even if it was dangerous. My assumption about her not wanting to dwell on the past was entirely correct. "The worst thing I've done in my romantic history is drunkenly make out with a sober dude on prom night while my old girlfriend watched from our table."

"Seriously?" she chuckled, swatting playfully at my hand before I could try to pull it away. She took a renewed breath after a sniffle and cuddled even deeper into my waist, dragging Eloise up to her chest like a plush toy. "Wow, you're a monster! Gonna need more details."

"Well, if you really insist…" I grinned in response to her upbeat laughter. "It all started when some old friends snuck a bottle of vodka into the school and had the brilliant idea to stash it in the boy's toilets. That night was the first time I had ever gotten completely shitfaced, y'know like – 'can't remember my own name' drunk – and apparently I started grinding on this dude that I barely knew in front of my girlfriend at the time. She stood up and slapped me while screaming about how I ruined her night and how she always knew I was actually a fag. Then, I proceeded to puke all over myself in front of the teachers. Almost didn't graduate."

"Holy shit, she sounds like a total bitch, calling you that out of nowhere," Hannah remarked, energy suddenly flooding back into her awakened body as she propped herself up with a red cushion and scowled angrily at me. It was incredibly surprising that she had recovered from being morose and downtrodden so quickly. Even more surprising was the fact my shitty plan to take her mind off Thomas and the ranch's history actually worked. "What was her name?"

"Erin, and she wasn't all that bad, aside from the random homophobia there at the very end," I replied, tilting my tired head onto the back of the couch and smirking with bittersweet, casual remembrance. She was the only person other than Hannah that I had once felt a true connection with, but it clearly only lasted a few months. I hoped this one would never fade. "To be fair, I never should've been flirting with that cute guy, even though he said he was totally game for giving me a blowjob in the toilets after prom finished. It was the alcohol."

"Did you ever hook up with him?" she asked with a curious smile. "Sounds like a match made in heaven right there."

"Sadly, it wasn't meant to be," I replied, feigning wistfulness and regret. "After throwing up all of the vodka and cake, a couple friends brought me home and I passed out in the hallway."

"What a damn shame," Hannah consoled persuasively, causing me to finally break character and let out an uncontrollable, hushed snicker. Seeing her being able to joke around again was so therapeutic after what we had just been through. "Although, I am really glad that you turn into a horny little bastard when you're drunk, since that classy chain of events helped to bring you here. Erin can fuck off. Hannah's here to stay."

"Hey, if we managed to survive tonight without a proper fight, we can survive anything else that happens, right?" I said, reaching down to smother her in an overprotective embrace. Eloise was squashed between my bare skin and a fleecy dressing gown, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she adored being so close to us both. Hannah gave me a loving squeeze.

"Fuck yeah we can," she agreed enthusiastically, leaning up on her elbow to give me a quick, dry peck on the lips. The fresh scent of the recent shower still lingered attractively on her pale, tattooed skin. "Thank you, Alex. Seriously. For managing to handle the total mess that was tonight without making it too serious. You're incredible at sensing what people need."

"Well, it's like you told me back when we first met Wren," I began, feeling like that whole event was years in the past already, even though it had only been a couple days ago. The ranch really did bend the rules of time. "Pokémon aren't the only ones that I can cheer up."

"I think you deserve a reward after all of this relationship progress," she decided quietly, while dragging a polished nail across my chest in perfect, sinister circles. I became acutely aware that there was only a flimsy, wet towel separating my naked body from her teasing. "Actually, I was planning a sexy surprise for you before all of this drama, and they should still be raring to go if you're up for a bit of fun."

"Who's they?" I questioned, even though I had an inkling about who she was alluding to. Obviously, it was the ranch residents. My mind was already racing with the potential species.

"A bunch of big, horny dogs that've been waiting to have their way with you for some time," she explained with a proud, sly grin, flopping a rowdy Eloise back down onto the red couch cushion before getting to her bare feet. She stretched and gestured out the front window after a laboured yawn. "Kelvin, the ranch's frisky Flareon, rounded up a few of his friends who have been dying to show you their skills. I was hoping to introduce you after our shower."

"If they're that interested in me, how could I refuse?"

"Wicked," she drawled coolly. "Don't bother getting changed. The towel will be just fine for what we're gonna be doing. Or, if you're feeling really brave, why not walk around naked?"

"I don't wanna give the entire ranch an excuse to jump me," I laughed earnestly, giving Wren a final scratch behind his dull, wiry ear before standing up again. As if on cue, the towel suddenly unwrapped from my skinny waist and silently dropped onto the green rug. With a startled blush, I scrambled to grab it and cover myself. "Not yet, at least. Maybe in a week."

"Suit yourself," she replied, blatantly staring at my package until it was obscured again. I was really tempted to throw the cold towel in her face, but was nowhere near courageous enough. "Don't worry, I'll leave my whole team here for babysitting duty. Wren doesn't look like he'll be waking up any time soon, but Eloise could use the company. Isn't that right, honey?"

"I want to try battling with Britney!" my Swablu chirped with excitement. She must have listened to Hannah's entire story as well, but seemed not to understand the deeper meaning behind the risks that came with battling. I had expected her attitude to change at least a little.

"You've still got a long way to go before challenging her, but maybe you can ask her for some tips that she's learned, okay?" Hannah cooed, humouring the tiny bundle of energy. Dealing with hatchlings was definitely her forte. "Alright, let's go already, I wanna blow off all this new steam. Kelvin said he was gonna gather everyone near the southern storeroom."

"Bye, bye!" Eloise called, her squawks not even enough to wake Wren. At least he was comfortable enough around the lodge to let his guard down completely. "Have lots of fun!"

* * *

I still received plenty of curious stares from the nocturnal ranch Pokémon as I strutted around the dirt pathways wearing nothing but a towel. What I assumed to be the permanent residents barely gave me a second glance, as if this happened all the time. Meanwhile, the young ones waiting to be sold to budding trainers were pretty confused. A cheeky little Axew with small, chipped tusks pointed at us and laughed as we hurried past the idyllic hills. Trying to ignore the dragon type, I winced as tiny pebbles prodded into the smooth heels of my aching feet. Hannah easily dragged me out of the lodge before I even had the chance to put my shoes on, and I was too focused on trying not to flash the hatchlings to walk onto the trimmed grass. With horny determination, she herded me all the way to the outskirts of the ranch, nearby the towering fences that marked its borders. The wild forests beyond the gates looked unsettling in the late evening, and I couldn't help but think of Wren trying to survive out there before he found this safe haven. My eyebrows furrowed in discomfort as I thought about his loneliness.

I wasn't given much time to dwell upon the depressing image, as we soon encountered a pack of four canine Pokémon who were lounging around the sturdy fences. Hannah offered them all a casual, friendly wave which pulled up her dressing gown and exposed her bare thighs. Their tails began to wag with exhilaration at the seductive sight. I was blessed with an even better view since I was trailing behind at my usual, sluggish pace. Once I tore my eyes away from her shapely rear end, I suddenly recognised one of the four-legged figures as Amon the devilish Houndoom, even though he was perfectly camouflaged against the inky black sky. He was sitting straight up like a statue, always alert and ready to pounce on any strangers. The second that he recognised me, his lips pulled apart in a malevolent smile and his throat pulsated with an internal, orange glow. He was largely responsible for spreading the word about my 'counselling' services, and judging by his friends, it was obvious that he had stayed true to his ominous words. He was seated next to a Flareon, Arcanine and a young Growlithe.

"Aww, Rezan decided not to show after all, Kelvie?" Hannah asked, disappointment barely masked by her high-pitched, loving tone as she patted gently at the groomed Flareon's mane.

"Nah, the big softie said that he wanted Alex all to himself, so he's gonna wait for a chance to find him alone," the popular Eeveelution explained, thumping one of his back legs against the ground in response to Hannah's skilful petting. The Growlithe stared over in jealousy. "He's always been way too vanilla for our tastes anyway, so it's not the end of the world!"

"His cock is bloody massive for a Lucario though," Hannah whispered crudely, which only reaffirmed my earlier suspicions of her being a size queen. I kept my mouth shut this time. "Well, it looks like we've got ourselves a classic, fiery orgy then. Should be tons of fun."

"Are you not going to introduce us, Hannah?" the Arcanine barked loudly, ignoring the tiny Growlithe that was attempting to climb onto his broad, striped back. The humungous dog's voice was so grand and booming that it made Devon's experimental translator squeal harsh static directly into my ear. Being suddenly reminded of its existence was strange. It was so light and well-designed that I had forgot about it. "That's setting a bad example for Aiden."

"Oh, yeah, sure…" Hannah nodded, hesitating as she held a palm against her translator ear. "Alex, you've already had the pleasure of meeting Amon, then I've told you about Kelvin, the giant Arcanine with the golden voice is Tyson, and the playful Growlithe over there is the oldest of his many kids. Together, there's Aiden, Asher, Ashley, August and Aubrey. Got it?"

"Kind of?" I responded, failing to catch most of the last names which blended together.

"Nice to meet you, mister!" said the Growlithe, racing up to scrape clumsily at my bare knees with his white claws and almost tearing away the towel. Instantly, I remembered the porn video that I drunkenly watched that night, which basically started this whole poképhilia thing. "I can't wait to tell my brothers and sisters about you! Asher wants to know your dick size!"

"Language," Tyson reprimanded protectively, despite the weird fact he was allowing his son to partake in an orgy. His priorities were out of order. "Say 'penis' or don't say it at all."

"Will I ever meet a Pokémon who is as wholesome as they look?" I asked while giving the excited Growlithe a rough scratch under his warm, bearded chin. They really were such an adorable species, and were high on the list of ones that I wanted my mother to buy for me. Maybe if things in my uneventful life happened differently, Aiden would've been my starter. "And you can tell Asher that I'm just barely short of six inches, alright? Six on a good day."

"Introductions really are touching and all," Amon began, striking sarcasm dripping off of every growled word that escaped through his sharp, yellowed fangs. Flaming smoke polluted the air around us and caressed his long, satanic horns before disappearing. "But here I am thinking that we all came out here for a much better reason. Personally, I hate wasting time."

"The old geezer's right," Kelvin agreed with a chuckle. The Houndoom glared in his direction at the insulting nickname but said nothing else. "Sadly, tonight won't last forever."

"We can make it feel like it does, though," Hannah replied with a suggestive smirk, returning to her position beside me and admiring the group of hounds. It seemed like the ranch had lots of canine Pokémon, either because they were popular with trainers or were easy to care for. Even without the Lucario present, it was still a respectable pack. "Let's get started, then!"

"Now Alex, you're gonna crawl on over here and mount me," Amon commanded with a gravelly, dominant snarl despite his submissive wishes. A plume of dangerous fire escaped for his dark-orange muzzle as his lengthy, red cock already started to prod out of its furry sheath. "Giving pleasure to us simple ranch residents is part of your job, after all. Hurry up!"

"Good luck, soldier!" Hannah said supportively, giving me an encouraging slap on the ass before whipping the blue towel away from my waist and leaving me completely exposed to the greedy canines. She slipped out of her dressing gown and threw it next to Tyson, who wagged his massive tail blissfully. "I'll be taking care of the big guy over there, so you don't need to worry about him overpowering you. I'm the only person here who can endure him!"

"Endure?" I repeated with a gulp, staring at the gigantic, intimidating Pokémon whose eyes were focused on Hannah's supple breasts. His snout was damp with excited saliva already. "That makes me feel so much better about all of this."

"Listen here, taking a knot up the butt isn't as bad as everyone says it is," she grinned, chewing on her bottom lip in uncontrollable anticipation. The lace panties she had been wearing were now tangled around her bare ankles, already glistening under the moonlight. "And hey, if it really starts to hurt, there's still the ambrosia tucked away inside my purse. Taking a quick swig of the stuff should dull the pain a little… or make it even more sensitive. I'm not entirely sure how it all works. All I know is that it makes it feel fucking awesome!"

"Sounds great," I replied with a grimace, although my uncovered dick was getting hard at the thought of forcibly being driven into the grass and muck by the energetic Flareon's thrusts, interlocked with no hope of escape. "Makes being unable to sit down after almost worth it."

"Kelvin and Aiden are like a quarter of Tyson's size, so I don't wanna hear any complaining or crying once we get started," she rattled on, wiggling a serious finger in my unsure face as she danced over to the oversized dog in question. The sight of her slender body next to Tyson and his unbelievable girth was comical. I couldn't help but wonder where all of it would go. "Alright, you boys play nice with my boyfriend here. He's never taken doggy dick before."

"Have fun, dad!" the young Growlithe barked, pawing at the ground in an attempted wave. "Try not to hurt the pretty lady too badly, alright? She's been awful nice to me in the past."

"Not about to make a promise," the Arcanine growled back with a malicious, predatory grin. The bond between father and son was clear in that smile. "Make sure to thank Alex, okay?"

"The family dynamics at this place never cease to amaze me," I commented under my lusty breath as the cool, night air tickled at my skin. I watched as Hannah sunk under the ocean of orange fur towards Tyson's musky underbelly. "Really, I could publish an entire thesis on it."

"Are you always this much of a nerd right before mating time?" Kelvin the Flareon teased, eyeing my loins over in a way that reminded me of Maxxie. Eeveelutions seemed to be the same in that regard. He, too, was absolutely alluring. I could see why they were so popular.

"Nope, just trying to calm my nerves," I shivered anxiously, giving my length an encouraging caress as I stepped towards the pack of primal hounds. Honestly, it was only the demonic one in the centre putting me on edge. Even though he seemed to be submissive, he was still scary.

"Will I just have to roll over and fuck myself?" Amon snarled, raising his scarred haunches towards me to reveal his tailhole, whipping his devilish tail from side to side. He had a patch of light-orange fur around his dark passage that looked like a tiny flame. "Kids these days…"

Before I even knew it, the head of my thick rod was already covered in translucent precum and lined up with the Houndoom's tight, warm entrance. The other dogs sniffed cordially at each other before anything else, Kelvin soon taking a particular interest in Amon's red poker. Meanwhile, I was totally enthralled by just how much heat was emanating from his asshole. Even though I hadn't started to push past the ring, the waves of warmth washing over my waiting cock was already enough to make me sweat. It was like standing inside a furnace. Gently, I let my slit press against the soft, pink flesh and almost recoiled in fear of getting burned in such a delicate area. The chill of evening air was replaced with a stifling fire. Despite the lubrication already on my head, I feared that the hound was too dry to enter.

"Nothing can hurt me anymore," Amon gloated, stabbing me in the stomach with his tail. Craning his neck, he looked at me with weathered confidence. "Thrust all of it in at once."

"You're the boss," I replied throatily, watching curiously as Kelvin dipped under the demonic dog's stomach to lap at the underside of his rocket. The Flareon was lying right on his back, staring up at the scene unfolding above him with erotic interest. He gave me a knowing wink.

After a final, tense second, I plunged my prick inside the Houndoom's pillowy rear with surprising ease. My knees almost buckled as the heat multiplied tenfold and threatened to singe the inches of skin pressed into Amon's boiling insides. I swore crudely as my hands gripped onto the taut flesh on his ass, knuckles whitening as I tried to endure the sensation that all of me was going to melt away. He was definitely looser than Maxxie, likely due to his many years of anal experience, but his body temperature was sending ripples of both intense pain and pleasure through the nerves of my cock. Amon's scorching walls clenched down on me as he uncontrollably flexed his muscles, due to the curious Flareon's swift tongue work. Somehow, I felt the warmth all the way up to my face and it was making it hard to breathe.

To feel the unbearable warmth yet again, I started thrusting my hips while looking down at a preoccupied Kelvin. His snout was now pressed into the hound's ballsack as his sticky tongue dragged across the furry flesh, sending trails of saliva dripping out of the sides of his mouth. Every so often, he would return to suckling on the bulging base of Amon's dick, his nostrils twitching to take in as much of the canine's scent as possible. Even I couldn't deny that the primal smell of sweat and dirty musk was making me drunk, so I couldn't imagine what it was like for a creature whose nose was so sensitive. It was making the Flareon's eyes flutter.

My focus was then drawn back towards Amon's hot tailhole, and I let my throbbing member slowly slide out of the invaded entrance to watch it yawn back at me, letting some of the fire type's inner heat escape. The frigid feeling of the wind reminded me just how warm and inviting his veteran anus was, so I repositioned myself and dove back inside, pressing my cockhead into his prostate. Amon unleashed a plume of thick, warm smoke from his old jaws, polluting the air with a new smell that was similar to burnt tyres. Every now and then, his tail would whip across my back like a torturous riding crop, spurring me to really bare down and slap his asscheeks with my thighs. Beads of sweat from both of our pleasured bodies dripped down onto Kelvin's orange tummy, as he had flipped himself around to finally take Amon's lengthy meat down his throat. The Flareon's own dick had flared to life and was twitching.

Suddenly, a new, volatile presence made itself known as Aiden's front paws propped up onto Amon's bony shoulders out of nowhere. The young Growlithe was bravely jamming his own small shaft into the Houndoom's face, who soon gave up attempting to resist and sank his drooling, fanged muzzle down upon the fleshy package. The needy puppy's rough tongue lolled happily out of his own jaws as he quickly pumped his hindquarters into Amon's maw. Our eyes met, and Aiden offered me what I assumed was an accomplished grin as he watched me pound into the Houndoom's lucky ass. With both of his holes filled, I knew that Amon wouldn't be able to last much longer, even if he had all of the experience in the whole world. Sadly, the only one who wasn't getting their cock pleasured was Kelvin, and I soon thought of an ingenious idea to help out the selfless Flareon. All it needed was some good balance.

While still thrusting powerfully away inside the demonic hound's fiery anus, I lifted one of my bare feet and pushed it down onto Kelvin's waiting crotch. He let out an unexpected yelp as my toes curled around his crimson shaft and my heel rubbed against his tight, fluffy balls. Since it was my first time doing something as wild as that, I probably wasn't as gentle as I could've been, but the horny Flareon seemed to appreciate it as he grinded his bouncing dick against the space between my toes. My other leg was starting to cramp, but it was worth hearing the Eeveelution's muffled groans and cries as he slobbered over Amon's hot rocket.

This was enough to send the aged Houndoom into fevered orgasm, as his asshole suddenly convulsed and squeezed against me. I buried myself to the hilt inside of him and let his inner walls harshly massage my sensitive cockhead, until I felt a familiar, urgent need that almost made me completely keel over. Narrowly avoiding stamping onto Kelvin's delicate ballsack, I seized and bent over the cumming Houndoom. Aiden took the opportunity to lick excitedly at my face, his slippery tongue lapping at my nose and lips as I blew my load inside Amon. Without thinking, I opened my mouth to groan in bliss, but was silenced by the Growlithe's exploratory snout. We shared a sloppy kiss as Aiden's heated saliva trailed down my chin.

Everybody soon fell apart into a sweltering pile of skin, fur and semen. Kelvin's entire face had been naughtily coated with ropes of thick, white cum even though he could have easily swallowed Amon's seed. I imagined he enjoyed the thrill of feeling it cool on his hot coat. With a breathy laugh, he licked some of the fluid away from his lips and sprawled across the freshly-cut grass. I was so lightheaded from the heavy climax that I barely noticed Amon licking at my own ejaculate which began to ooze slowly from his raw tailhole, or that Aiden seemed ready for more fun and was sticking his snout between the hole and Amon's tongue. Hannah wasn't kidding when she said they had all been dying to impress me with their skill.

That clouded thought made me realise that I hadn't been paying attention to what she had been doing with Tyson, the monstrous mutt. Leaning over a frisky Kelvin, I soon discovered that the Arcanine had barely managed to push the tip of his gigantic penis inside of her pussy. From the look of the drowned grass, he had been licking at her rear for quite a while to make it lubricated enough, but it still looked like it'd be painful for her. Instead, when I squinted my eyes to get a better look at Hannah's face, her eyes were wild with unadulterated pleasure as she tried to push herself further down onto the dog's arm-thick pole. I sighed heavily. I couldn't deny it was insanely fucking hot, but how did she manage to stay so tight as well? A mystery that men would never understand. I was just glad she was having fun after today.

"For someone so new to our kinky little ranch, you sure give a pretty enthusiastic footjob!" Kelvin complimented, nuzzling his cum-soaked face into my bare, hairless chest and giving me a few thankful licks. Even though I had just ejaculated, I couldn't help but feel myself harden slightly under his rough, forceful tongue. "There must be some way to repay you…"

"Hannah will probably be disappointed in me if I leave without one of you mounting me," I sighed in anticipation, scratching at the handsome Flareon's dense, yellow mane. His spiked ears twitched with happiness and arousal as I gave him a thorough petting. Fire types really were amazing, as a comfortable hotness spread its way through my arm and made me giddy. Everything about them was just so pleasant and enticing. "Does that sound alright to you?"

Apparently, it sounded alright enough to a horny Kelvin that he didn't need to offer a reply, and I soon found myself being pushed harshly onto my shaking hands and knees amidst the short, sharp blades of grass. Aiden was already humping away at a demanding Amon, so I didn't need to worry about any sudden interruptions. I was still somewhat unsettled by the feeling of being so vulnerable and exposed as I raised my ass high into the air, facing the shining moon. Although, I couldn't deny it added to the thrill and utter depravity of the night. My prior experience with Julian made me feel less nervous, but the bulbous cock of a canine Pokémon was a far cry from his humanoid one. I had some time to fantasise about just how different it would feel as the Flareon gave my tight hole an introductory sniff. Even his nose felt roasting as it tried to push its way inside me. Kelvin seemed enamoured by new scents. My face reddened as he continued to rapidly press his loud snout against my exposed anus. This was just their way of saying 'hello'… but it was like he was having a full conversation.

Eventually, he even decided to acquaint his curious tongue with my ass too. I shivered at the wonderful, ticklish sensation of the slippery, sweltering muscle massaging against the delicate flesh between my sweaty cheeks. I leaned backwards onto his lapping maw, his fangs scraping gently at my reddened skin as he kissed and suckled on my relaxing, moist asshole. Honestly, I wished that I could kneel there forever, with Kelvin exploring my wanting flesh. Every so often, he would try his hardest to slide his sensitive tongue inside of me to discover just what I tasted like, and it seemed to drive him wild. He groaned and puffed out a plume of frustrated smoke from his nostrils as his tongue couldn't reach any further. Although it made me feel kind of slutty, I reached backwards and pulled my asscheeks further apart, spreading my hole even wider for him to sink his face into. Finally, he got what he was looking for and feverishly ate me out, making my neglected dick throb in response. I was ready for him now.

I heard him take a final, lengthy inhale that vibrated against my skin, and then… nothing else. Concerned, I twisted my neck to see what he was doing, only to find him preparing to jump and align himself with my opening for penetration. I only had a few seconds to grit my teeth before I felt his pointed, burning erection press into my wet hole and his furry legs splay onto my unsteady lower back. Instantly, the rest of his weight fell upon me and his entire, hot cock was shoved inside of my hungry ass. I suppressed a pleasured whine as his body threatened to push me down onto my stomach, and was soon sorely ravaged as he unleashed a surprisingly powerful slew of thrusts. His back legs slammed into my thighs as he pumped away with the reckless type of abandon that could only come from a canine. Before I could steady myself, the next thrust would slam into me and send his member stabbing against the walls of my ass. Raunchy squelches and other noises were muffled by his fur as my novice hole was invaded. I had to bite my lip until I could taste blood to silence myself. This was much more painful than my time with Julian. Kelvin's cock felt like it was burning me. And it was wonderful.

In a rare moment of clarity, I glanced over to Hannah and witnessed her in a similar state. Tyson had managed to somehow push the majority of his massive dick inside of her and was letting loose a serious of dominant howls as he stretched my girlfriend to her absolute limit. She was rapidly massaging her clit and seemed to already be wracked by orgasms by the look of her convulsing legs. Her face was entirely unresponsive, her mouth hanging totally agape. That was all I had a chance to watch before a particularly violent thrust from Kelvin made me reflexively clench around his red rocket. I winced from the incredible pain, but the Flareon either didn't notice or didn't care. In fact, he was probably enjoying the tightness as my asshole attempted to reflexively constrict the rod that was destroying it from the inside. My cock remained hard throughout it all, and I hadn't even noticed that one of my hands had wrapped around the shaft and was deftly tugging on it. Nothing even made sense anymore. The intense heat was making me go crazy. It felt like a raging fire had been started inside me. Everything became frighteningly sensitive, as each brush of Kelvin's luscious fur across my skin set the nerves on my back aflame. My body was wracked with violent shivers, and it took all my resolve not to collapse into an incoherent mess under the Flareon's heaviness.

"Fuck, Alex… your ass is so tight," Kelvin moaned adorably, although his words barely made sense to my primal, preoccupied mind. His pace began to slow considerably as he revelled in the irregular massage he was receiving. "I think I'm gonna cum soon… okay?"

"Yes!" was all that I cried into the dark night, struggling to form any more coherent words. Right now, I didn't give a fuck if I woke up the entire ranch. All I wanted was to feel the canine's bulbous knot force its way inside of me. I wanted it to be painful. I wanted to bleed. "Please, just do it!"

Because of the sudden, frantic increase in the Flareon's powerful thrusting, I barely noticed another fiery presence paw its way in front of my contorted, sticky face before it was too late. My drooling mouth had already been pushed open in total bliss with Kelvins' envigored stimulation, and a certain, rude little Growlithe decided that it was the best place to shove his deflating dick, which had just unleashed a torrent of cum into Amon's hole seconds earlier. Exactly like before, his claws found their way onto a pair of distracted shoulders, and I suddenly got a warm mouthful of doggy cock. I heard Aiden panting furiously as he forced me to clean off the taste of semen, musk and ass with my tongue. I couldn't help but gag and groan as the beastly scent stuck in my nostrils, but I still let him rub his cock where he liked. It was even harder catch a breath of fresh air when my face was stuck between a dirty Growlithe's legs and he was pushing himself down my throat. Although, honestly, I would've been completely content to breathe nothing but this strong, meaty scent for the rest of my life.

Not to be outperformed, I soon felt Kelvin's entire body spasm and seize. This was the end. An incredibly potent pressured slammed against my unwilling opening, threatening to tear the sensitive muscle apart unless it widened to accommodate the insane girth. I choked out a faint scream around Aiden's salty shaft as the Flareon's knot popped inside of my asshole. Swirls of throbbing pain made my vision lose focus and darken as Kelvin unloaded a copious amount of boiling seed deep inside my guts. The only thing keeping me lucid was the feeling of heated cum flowing around my stomach. I could actually feel it pour inside of me as the excruciating knot ensured not a single droplet was wasted. Such a feeling ushered forth a weak dribble of my own semen from the tip of my cock, even though both my hands were tearing up fistfuls of grass to endure the pain. Kelvin let out a primal howl as he bucked his wide hips, sliding the knot further into my destroyed anus. I felt his balls pulse against me. And then, another astounding load of warm liquid shot against my weak, clenching walls. Just how much could one canine Pokémon unleash? I started to feel it slosh around in me.

Even though everyone had stopped moaning and writhing, I still had a massive cock inside my ass and a smaller, dirty one inside my mouth. I wanted so badly to push Kelvin out, but no matter how hard I tried, his bulge didn't move a single inch. Even though it couldn't have actually been that large, it felt like someone had fisted me with a boxing glove that had been fucking lit on fire. My tired body wanted to reject the bucketloads of cum he had deposited into my small stomach, but the feeling of being so bloated brought me immense satisfaction. Especially since it was so unbearably warm. I pushed down on my belly with a weak palm, only to have the hard, burning skin push back. I wondered how noticeable the bump was. Kelvin bayed and whined for a while before falling limp and silent, energy totally expended.

Finally, Aiden felt that he had been sufficiently serviced and dismounted my face. His rocket was already retreating back into its hidden sheath, a trail of old cum and saliva connecting it to the tongue which still held the bitter taste of Amon's insides. I felt like a real bitch in heat. With the excruciating wait for the comatose Flareon's knot to deflate, I faintly tilted my head over to watch Hannah finish with Tyson. The Arcanine's knot looked like how Kelvin's felt. It was easily the size of a tennis-ball, and was being harshly rammed inside of my girlfriend's quivering pussy. Hannah was screaming bloody murder, but her lips were pulled up in an uncontrollable smile as she squirmed around on the grass, staining her skin a light green. Tyson produced a full-on Flamethrower from his muzzle, spewing a spire of flames high into the cloudy sky. Even while he was knotted, he was thrusting away balls-deep inside of her. Clearly, I had a lot to learn if Kelvin's knot was enough to almost reduce me to painful tears. And, the scary thing was, I couldn't wait to get started on the lessons. Although, maybe it would be best to wait until my poor ass healed up a little first. It was already starting to ache.

Just as I started to get my bearings again, Amon prowled over to me with an evil, sadistic grin as he witnessed Kelvin still connected to my backside. His look was already unsettling me in my vulnerable state, but that soon grew into panic as he turned around and presented his ass. His hole definitely wasn't as tight as it was earlier in the night, still sodden with fluids, slivers of his red flesh peeking out from behind the black, furry muscle. I was about to wearily ask him why he was wiggling his old, ruined butt in my face, before he began to walk backwards. With nowhere left to crawl away towards, all I could do was watch in semi-aroused horror as he soon pressed his asshole against my lips. He probably saw that I cleaned off Aiden's cock and wanted in on the action. Once again, my tongue was coated in the raunchy bitterness as I was far too exasperated to resist. His hole was definitely the warmest, as the stench stifled my face and burned away the air in my lungs. But, like the good dog I was, I happily complied. That awful feeling of doom and dread which had plagued me earlier was now replaced with a new feeling of desire and depravity. Like it should be. Burning. Encompassing. Suffocating.

"Thank you, Alex!" was the very last thing I remembered hearing from the young Growlithe before I delved headfirst into the Houndoom's rear. At least he had remembered his manners.


End file.
